


A Natural Progression

by Starkvenger



Series: Billy Batson & The Batfam [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Shazam! (2019), Shazam! | Captain Marvel (Comics)
Genre: #LETBILLYBATSONSAYFUCK2020, Alfred Pennyworth is the Best, Alternate Universe, BAMF Alfred Pennyworth, BAMF Bruce Wayne, BAMF Dick Grayson, BAMF Jason Todd, Bat-Dad, Batfamily, Batfamily (DCU), Batfamily Shenanigans, Big Brother Dick Grayson, Big Brother Jason Todd, Billy Batson is Bruce Wayne's Child, Billy Batson is Captain Marvel, Billy Batson protection squad, Bruce Wayne is Batman, Canon Really Gets Thrown Out A Window In This Fic, Damian Wayne is Robin, Damien Wayne Is a Little Shit, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Homeless Billy Batson, Homelessness, Identity Reveal, Jason Todd is Red Hood, Kinda, Magic, Magic-Users, Magical Realism, Not Canon Compliant, Past Abuse, Past Character Death, Protective Batfamily (DCU), Protective Bruce Wayne, Resurrected Jason Todd, Secret Identity, The League is around, Wayne Manor, past trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-09
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2020-08-13 08:01:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 40
Words: 92,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20170873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starkvenger/pseuds/Starkvenger
Summary: Billy's in a bad place. Consistently on the run from bullies and the like, unable to eat or find a stable place to sleep for more than a week-- Sure, he's Captain Marvel, but he'd never use his powers for his own gain.Thankfully, Alfred Pennyworth comes to the rescue.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I just really wanted to write something with Billy and the Batfam where Alfred steps the fuck up and rescues Billy from an awful situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Alfred. I love Billy. I love Batfam. Combine them and you get a love cake.
> 
> I present this love cake for you.

\- - -

The day should have gone off without a hitch- though, with the kind of people he associated with, Alfred wasn't sure how he'd gotten it into his mind that this day could go right in the slightest. Still, the morning had started out hopeful. 

It began with a trip to Fawcett City as the request of Bruce that he take some time for himself, so the man went to the sunshine city to catch up with a couple of old friends he hadn't seen since the '70s. He took a drive to the city from Gotham, a simple feat since the towns weren't but a couple of hours apart. 

Alfred parked in front of a public park, getting out of the old Bently and glancing around the district he was in. Fawcett City was a deceptively sunny town. It had a rustic charm to it that screamed 50's, and was a wonderful place to retire ever since Captain Marvel, the town's resident hero, had shown up to rapidly decrease the crime rate.

Nevertheless, like all cities, it had its problems. Fawcett had the highest homeless population in the country, something you couldn't tell by the fresh paint on various buildings and nice brick houses that lined the streets.

Still, if you could look past that and the occasional crazed maniac that needed a superhero to take it down, it was a lovely town.

Alfred's meet-up had gone smashingly, as the men reminisced about the glory days, caught up with one another and talked about what they were doing nowadays. Alfred mentioned he was still a butler for the Wayne family, surprising one of his colleagues and getting a laugh from another.

They met up in a malt shop that looked like it had been ripped right out of 1950's American suburbia and plopped into the middle of a busy shopping district, but it was a place that felt homey and warm and allowed the men to relax and just have a chat.

All in all, it went off without a hitch.

It wasn't until after Alfred had said goodbye to his colleagues and was leaving the shop that things went wrong.

He was walking down the sidewalk when he heard it- a small, almost non-existant whimper coming from an alleyway. He stopped in his tracks at the sound of it, turning his attention towards the alley and craning his neck to look.

Now, had this been Gotham, the smartest thing would be to move on before you stumbled into something you couldn't get yourself out of, but this was Fawcett. Alfred took a step towards the alley, listening closely and hearing a soft, watery wheeze come from further down in the alley.

The elderly man narrowed his eyes, looking around for what could be the source of such a noise in confusion. Another wheeze followed by a soft whimper. It reminded him of when Dick had first begun his training so many years ago and would push himself too hard in his training to become the Robin and live up to his caretaker's expectations.

It worried him as he took a step closer to the noise. Alfred paused, listening for the sound again before catching the sight of something moving subtly in the corner of his vision. The man walked over to it, peering around the side of a large green dumpster to find a small boy, no older than 10, sitting on the ground and clutching his abdomen. This child had to be the source of the sound if the pain in his face and the sweat covering his skin was anything to go by.

The boy glanced up and gasped slightly, wincing in pain as his grip on his gut tightened. "It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you," Alfred said, settling down onto his knees. "What's wrong with your side, there?" he asked calmly and slowly.

The small boy with a mop of black hair and bright, iridescent blue eyes glanced up at him with fear, though Alfred intrinsically knew that this fear was fear for what would happen to him, rather than fearing Alfred himself.

He moved his hands, revealing a moist, dark red spot in his already dark red hoodie. Alfred's eyes widened as the child put his hands back, attempting to keep blood from flowing from the stab wound.

Alfred drew in a shaky breath, scooting closer to the boy on his knees, ignoring the moisture seeping into his freshly pressed pants and wanting nothing more than to scoop him up into his arms. "Can you move?" he asked slowly, attempting to check the boy over for any other injuries. The small raven shook his head.

Apart from what looked like a swelling and slightly purple ankle, along with a few scrapes, the only major wound was in the boy's abdomen."Will you let me help you?" Alfred asked slowly, unafraid to take matters into his own hands should the child refuse his help-- he wouldn't let him die on the sidewalk next to a dumpster. Thankfully, the nodded shakily, whimpering in pain as blood dripped from the soaked fabric around him.

"Okay, I'm going to pick you up now, son. Let's go," he said, reaching down and lifting the boy up into his arms. He was small and much too thin, but that wasn't something to think about right now. The boy rested his head against Alfred's chest, his eyes threatening to close as the old butler managed to get him into the passenger seat of the Bentley.

The child's breaths were labored as Alfred climbed into the driver's seat, backing up and racing towards the nearest hospital through the not-so-empty streets. He got barely a passing glance from bystanders, but this was Fawcett City- a strange town where the residents questioned neither massive robots rampaging around or walking, talking crocodile men, so a speeding car just after sunset should be nothing out of the ordinary for them.

He pulled up to the emergency ward and grabbed the raven-haired child from the passenger seat. The poor thing was fading fast, Alfred could tell as he barely made a noise when Alfred moved him. One of his hands were still attempting to put pressure on his wound, but the boy was going to lose consciousness pretty soon.

The next few minutes passed in a blur, from handing the child off to the doctors, asking, praying for them to help the poor boy, to standing where they left with him on a stretcher, glancing down at his calloused hands and finding a thin layer of blood, caked onto his skin from handling the child. Alfred swallowed thickly, peering down the hallway where they had taken him- he didn't even know the lad's name.

The butler let out a shaky breath, going into the bathroom to wash the blood from his hands and attempt to collect himself. He was in the middle of trying to get the blood from under his fingernails when his cellphone rang- he quickly dried his hands and pulled the device out, staring at the name of his employer on the screen.

"Master Bruce. Yes, it went wonderfully, I just ran into some trouble on the way back to my car." Alfred could feel Bruce's protective nature flare-up over the phone, though he didn't react verbally other than to ask if he was okay. "I'm alright, Master Bruce. I'm at the hospital in Fawc--" 

"No, that won't be necessary. I brought someone_ to_ the hospital, sir. As I said, I'm fine. I'll be back in Gotham after I finish my business here."

Alfred could already tell that if he wasn't back in Gotham soon enough, the Batman might make an appearance in Fawcett. "Yes, Master Bruce. I will be home shortly."

With that, he hung up, pocketing his phone and walking out of the bathroom and back towards the waiting room. A young woman, obviously a nurse by the look of her duckling-covered scrubs, with a clipboard was waiting there, glancing down at her papers before looking around worriedly. Her eyes glanced towards him and relief flooded her body, a small, worried smile on her face as he approached.

"Oh, Sir, you're the one that brought that boy in, yes?" she asked. Alfred nodded.

"Is he alright?"

"He's going to be. He just got out of surgery, but we were needing to ask you a few questions."

Alfred glanced at her clipboard. "Of course- though i'm not sure how much help I would be. I don't know the boy's name." 

The nurse's shoulders slumped. "I was hoping you wouldn't say that," she said. "He's probably a kid who either ran away from home and ended up in a bad situation or a homeless victim." he continued, writing something down. "He's dangerously underweight, so I'm leaning towards the latter."

Alfred let out a small breath. "Is it alright if I see him?"

"Sure- he should wake up soon. We couldn't do much other than give him stitches, but he lost a lot of blood so he's going to be pretty weak," she said, leading him down a hallway. "Poor kid. Gets stabbed then he has to go into the foster system." the duckling-clad nurse said with a shake of her head.

"Trust me, as someone who used to be in the foster system herself... it's not fun. Sometimes you'll get a nice couple that says they just want a kid to love, only to turn around and be someone that thinks cattle brands are for kids."

Alfred tensed. Had this child ever gone through something like that? Something like she must have?

The pair came to a door, and the nurse knocked lightly on it before opening the door slowly. "Yep, just as I thought. Still knocked out." The sight of the raven-haired boy, one that looked so much like Bruce or any of the other Wayne Clan in their youth, sleeping peacefully struck a chord in the old man. "I'll leave you alone with him, but I'll be back in a little bit to check up on you guys."

With that she left, leaving Alfred and the 10-year-old alone in the room together. He walked over to the bed, standing at the foot of it before glancing at a chair beside the bed and deciding to take a seat there.

He glanced at the boy, thankful to see there were no more smears of blood dried on his hands and wrists. His hair looked greasy, sticking out in odd angles and the scrapes on his lower cheek looked like they haad been cleaned. Thankfully the child was sleeping peacefully, though that was most likely due to the medication they must have used.

Alfred sighed, leaning his head back to stare at the ceiling before pulling his phone out and sending a text to his employer and pseudo-son. _'Going to be a tad later than expected. Something came up in the hospital.'_

A small ding alerted him to Bruce's reply._ 'Okay- tell me if you need me to come down there.'_

Alfred smiled, shaking his head at his phone before pocketing it and turning his attention back towards the boy-- whose eyes were now open and staring at him. The elder man blinked before smiling gently at him. "Good to see you're awake."

The small raven blinked, letting out a small breath before looking around. "Where..." his voice was raspy, and he swallowed, attempting the words again. "Where am I?" he asked slowly.

Alfred crossed his legs. "You're in the hospital. Can you tell me your name, dear boy?"

The kid hesitated. "Billy..." he mumbled, and Alfred noticed he didn't give a last name. Billy dropped his gaze to the sheets covering him, carefully not meeting Alfred's eyes.

"I'm going to assume that's short for William."

Billy nodded, lifting the sheet to look down at his stomach. It was wrapped in bandages, likely to keep the child from picking at it. He dropped the thin cloth and glanced back at Alfred, sitting up slightly despite a wince. "So...who...who are you? Why're you still here?"

Alfred saw the hope in the boy's bright blue eyes fading, being replaced with mistrust and confusion when he looked at Alfred. "I- I mean... I don't know you...and I don't got any money." 

"I assumed as much," Alfred said with a small smile. "You're looking much better though."

Billy shrugged his shoulders. 

"How did this happen?" Alfred asked slowly, tilting his head slightly at the boy as he tensed up, suddenly finding the cloth over him much more interesting than in the previous minutes. The elder man stayed quiet, patiently waiting for the boy to say something, anything. 

The raven sighed. 

"I was...just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I saw a couple of guys trying to rob an old man, someone that I knew was harmless and couldn't really stick up for himself, and...well, I felt the need to step in." Billy glanced at his abdomen. "Stupid, I know...but if I wasn't the one getting stabbed, he would have been."

So he had a miniature vigilante on his hands then. Alfred let out a soft sigh, scratching at the back of his neck. "What you did was very brave, William. You saved someone's life tonight..." he trailed off, getting a strange, almost hopeful look from the boy. It reminded him so much of Dick or Tim when they first started out.

The need for some kind of approval, the fact that they knew they had done well, even if they had put themselves in danger, knew in their hearts they were doing right, yet still expected to be punished for their actions.

"Do you have somewhere to go?" 

Billy slumped slightly. "Not my first trip to the hospital... Soon as I give 'em my name, I'll be back in the foster system..." he said dejectedly, the hope in his eyes dying and being replaced with resolute disappointment.

It made Alfred's heartache for the boy.

"What if you came with me?"

Billy's eyes snapped up, his head swiveling as he stared at Alfred in shock. "What?" his voice was barely a whisper. Alfred stayed quiet, letting the boy absorb thee information. "But- but I barely know you. I don't even know your name."

Alfred tensed. How could he have forgotten his manners so quickly? "I apologize," he said, standing up. "My name is Alfred Pennyworth. It is wonderful to meet your acquaintance, William."

"Just Billy is fine..."

The elderly man smiled. "Of course, the hospital would do a background check, and I would need time to get certain things in order," he said, carefully not mentioning how 'certain things' involved a billionaire vigilante and his four wild, terrifying at times, children, but if this worked, the boy could learn to call the Wayne clan family.

Billy actually seemed to be mulling it over, chewing on his bottom lip in deep thought as he ran his fingers over the cloth sheets of the bed. He met Alfred's eyes, disappointment in his own. Alfred could see, clear as day, that the boy wanted to accept his offer, but there was something holding him back.

"I...I can't," he said, dropping his gaze. Alfred tilted his head, hoping the child would elaborate.

Billy must have seen this, as he started to fidget in bed. "I- I have responsibilities here, I can't just pack up and leave..." There was something left unsaid, but Alfred wasn't sure just what it was. The boy let out a small sigh. "I'm- I'm really thankful, Mr. Alfred...but I can't leave Fawcett."

"What if you gave it a trial run? Gotham's only a couple of hours away, so you could still keep up with your...responsibilities, and if you started to feel homesick you could come back. Give me two weeks, and if you aren't willing to stay after that, I won't bother you again," Alfred said, leaning forward slightly. He couldn't leave this boy to fend for himself, not when every fiber of his being was screaming for him to bring him back to Wayne Manor.

Oh goodness, he was turning into Bruce.

Alfred was hoping he'd say yes-- otherwise, Fawcett would find itself with as billionaire in town, tracking a homeless child down and not taking no for an answer once Alfred told him about the child.

Billy seemed to give this some thought, wincing at a sudden pain in his side before meeting Alfred's eyes. "You...you're sure you want me?" he asked slowly, insecurity flaring in his bright blue eyes.

Alfred smiled softly. "As sure as Gotham is dark."

A small smile appeared on Billy's face. "Okay...but I'll need to get my stuff first," he said, the boy's eyes twinkling with excitement.

"Of course, William."

"Seriously, you can call me Billy."

"Perish the thought," Alfred said with a smirk.

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you guys think? Is this something worth continuing?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Watch me attempt to update both this and 'Heroic Cognizance' at the same time and cry silently about it while loving the experience at the same time >:3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm warning you guys now, Dick and Damien are probably the only Robins that are going to be characterized correctly-- I really only know Tim from fanfiction, and I know Jason is angsty and is the one that died and came back, so you have been warned.

**"Perish the thought," Alfred said with a smirk.**

\- - -

Alfred managed to relax in his chair, smiling at the boy as he started to mumble to himself. The nurse from before, still clad in her duckling-covered scrubs, knocked before opening the door. "How's it going in here?" she asked, glancing at Billy. "You're awake! Good. How are you feeling, sweetheart?" she asked, coming over and picking up the clipboard pinned to the end of the bed.

"Fine..." Billy said, receding into himself slightly. 

"How's your side?" she asked, writing something down. "Any pain besides a dull thrum?" Billy shook his head. "Good. What's your name, sweety?" she asked, meeting the boy's eyes. He glanced down, swallowing thickly and glancing at Alfred before looking at the nurse again.

"B-Billy."

"And your last name?"

"Batson..."

Alfred closed his eyes- Tim and Jason would have a field day with the irony in that name. He shook the thought from his head, opening his eyes and keeping them trained on the other two's conversation.

"And how old are you?" she asked, continuing to write things on her clipboard.

"Ten...and a half."

The nurse and Alfred both smiled as she wrote that down. "Alrighty, and do you have anybody we can call to come get you?" she asked, tilting her head slightly as her smile faltered. She already knew the answer, but Billy must have had to confirm it. The raven glanced at Alfred before looking back at her.

"Actually, miss, I was planning on letting Billy here stay with me. Would that be alright?" Alfred asked, standing up and smoothing out his rumpled shirt. The nurse blinked at him, a small smile appearing on her face. She glanced down at Billy, who was carefully avoiding her gaze with a small smile, before looking back into Alfred's eyes.

"We'll need to do a background check first and make sure everything checks out, but if it does, you can take him home in the morning," she told him, holding the clipboard close to her chest with a grateful look towards him. "If I could just have your license, I can go run that and bring it right back."

Alfred dug out his old leather wallet and handed the woman his license. She smiled and thanked him before leaving the pair alone again. Billy glanced at him with slight confusion. "You're sure about this?" he asked slowly. The elder man smiled, nodding and putting his wallet away.

"Absolutely. We have a deal, Willaim. I know it can be hard to trust people, but I mean it when I say I only want what's best for you."

Billy smiled to himself. "Okay. Two weeks and...and if I don't like it, you'll bring me back to Fawcett?" he asked, looking him in the eyes.

"I swear on the Queen."

The got a giggle out of the boy--and Alfred resolved himself right then and there that it was a sound that he would hear again. The boy's entire face lit up when he laughed, his shoulders bunching together as a glow seemed to almost appear around him. 

Yes, he would definitely be trying his damndest to get this boy to smile more often.

Billy relaxed back in the hospital bed, the tension in his body relaxing slightly as a small, content smile appeared on his youthful face. They stayed quiet, neither wanting to speak and break up the easygoing air of the room. 

The raven glanced up when the nurse came back, Alfred standing to get his license back. "Everything seems to check out, Mr. Pennyworth," she said with a smile. "Please, give your boss my thanks," she said, glancing at the boy in the bed. "It's not often someone looks out for us foster kids," she said with a wink before leaving the room.

Billy furrowed his brow, looking up at the elder man. "Who's your boss?" he asked, sitting up more despite the pain. Alfred glanced back at him with an easy smile. 

"You'll see soon enough. Why don't you get some rest? I have some things I need to take care of," Alfred said, pulling out his phone in example. Billy gave him an inquisitive look before nodding and laying back down.

"Mr. Alfred?" he said suddenly, his head pillowed as he looked at the butler. "Thanks..."

The silver-haired man smiled, nodding before leaving the room quietly. 

Billy wasn't going to be able to leave until morning, which hopefully gave Alfred enough time to break the news to Bruce and the rest of the Wayne clan. He pressed Bruce's contact number and put the device to his ear, waiting for the second ring. Bruce hardly ever picked up on the first, even if it was a call from him.

"Alfred?" came his employer's gruff voice, automatically telling the man that he was still currently clad in cape and cowl. Bruce had the habit of keeping the gruff voice on even in the presence of his family if under the cowl-- it was something he hadn't ever been able to keep from doing.

"Hello, sir. If you wouldn't mind taking off your headgear, I'd like to speak with the man I helped to raise," he said, glancing at a framed poster on the wall. There was shuffling over the line, likely Bruce tugging off the cowl before he spoke again.

"Better?" he asked, his voice sounding much less gruff and warmer. Alfred smiled.

"Much, sir." 

"Why aren't you back yet? Did things go over well at the hospital?"

"Well...that's what I mean to talk to you about," Alfred said, beginning to pace outside Billy's room. "There were some...complications."

"What kind of complications?"

Alfred felt a small smile grace his lips. "Complications of the black-haired, blue-eyed kind." Bruce was quiet for a moment before a sigh could be heard from the line. 

"...What's their name?"

"William...Batson."

Bruce groaned, making the butler smile wider. He paused in front of the boy's door, glancing at it. "He's a good child, Master Bruce. A tad rough around the edges, but he has a good heart," he was trying not to mention that the boy was homeless, as that would make Bruce's mind up in an instant and not give Billy any sort of way out. "He's about Master Damien's age. Ten years."

Alfred could practically feel Bruce leaning back in his chair and rubbing a hand over his face in thought. "Is he a meta?" he asked after a moment. Alfred glanced at the door. He wouldn't have assumed the boy was, what with how he acted. He definitely didn't have enhanced healing, so he was most likely just a headstrong boy with a protective spirit.

"I don't believe so."

"He would have to be strictly upstairs then."

"Sir-"

"No, Alfred I can't- I won't put any more kids in danger. If William comes here, there will be no bat-anything."

The aging butler sighed. That might be difficult, what with how much one life bled into the other-- Jason, in particular, had a habit of walking around partially in costume while in the manor when sleep-deprived or drunk. "As you wish, sir."

"I'll get Dick to prepare a room."

"Yes sir- We'll see you all in the morning."

"Goodnight, Alfred."

"Goodnight, Sir."

The next morning saw sunlight streaming in through the thin white curtains of the hospital room, waking the aging butler with a start from his sleep. He sat up in the chair he'd ended up crashing in, using a hand to rub his eyes before looking around the room.

Billy was still asleep judging by the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest, He smiled at the sight- there was no telling the last time the boy slept in an actual bed. Alfred stood, popping his back and noting that he would regret choosing to sleep in a cramped chair later. 

There was a knock at the door before the nurse from yesterday, this time clad in flower-covered scrubs, opened the door and came into the room quietly. She glanced at Billy before walking over to Alfred and handing him a clipboard. "Looks like I caught you at a good time. Here are Billy's release papers-- just fill them out and you can take him home with you."

Alfred glanced down at the papers, getting a pen from the nurse and sitting back down to start filling it out.

She left him to his work and shortly afterBily shifted in bed. He yawned, opening his eyes slowly and blinking up at the ceiling. He stretched, wincing at his side before looking around from where he lay. He spotted Alfred and his eyes widened in shock, almost like he hadn't expected the old man to be there when he woke up.

Alfred filed that information away for later before letting the clipboard rest in his lap. "Good morning, William," he said with a small smile.

"I'm not gonna lie, I thought last night might've been a dream..." the ten-year-old said, sitting up against his pillows. "Hey, my side doesn't hurt as bad today," he said, lifting his shirt- one that was still stained with blood, mind you, and glancing down at the stitches in his abdomen.

"I'm glad, but try not to stretch too much. You could pull them loose," Alfred said, turning his attention back down towards the paperwork in front of him.

He finished it after a moment, the boy staying quiet as he slowly woke up. The only sounds in the room were the rustling of paper and Billy's occasional yawn before the boy suddenly spoke up. "We can go get my stuff before you take me to...wait, where are you taking me anyway?" he asked, tilting his head slightly in question.

Alfred glanced up and met the boy's eyes. "Gotham."

Billy paled-- not the reaction he had participated. "I- I can't go to Gotham-" Billy said, fear sparking in his eyes. This only served to confuse the man more-- why would he fear being in Gotham? 

"You'll be safe, William, you don't have to worry about that," he said. Nowhere safer than the house of Batman himself. 

"It's...it's not that..." Billy said, glancing away.

Alfred could tell that the boy wasn't going to give up his reason easily, so he tried to make the best of the situation. "Trust me, you'll like Gotham. You know that's where Batman lives, correct? Maybe you'll see him."

He furrowed his brows at the soft, barely registerable "I hope not..." from the child.

Alfred glanced down at his clipboard, signing his name at the bottom of the page. "Trust me, William. It'll be okay," he said, standing up. "Why don't we go get your things, hm?" he asked, walking to the door with the clipboard in hand and holding out his hand for Billy to take. 

The boy slid off the edge of the bed, slipping on the worn tennis shoes that Alfred would definitely be replacing as soon as they got to the manor, before walking over to him and hesitantly slipping his hand into Alfred's.

"Off we go, then."

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? Questions? Comments? 
> 
> Tell me- I love seeing what you guys think.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, the rest of the Batclan will show up soon enough.

**"Off we go, then."**

\- - -

Alfred managed to get Billy into the car without much fuss, the boy looking around the old vehicle in awe. The raven directed him where to go, driving down various streets before he ended up in front of a building that very clearly had a large yellow 'CONDEMNED' sign nailed to the front door, but Billy disregarded it as he climbed out of the car and ran up to the building happily.

He sat back in his seat, waiting there for the boy as he asked. The old man's phone buzzed, getting his attention as he pulled it out to glance at the message he'd been sent.

_'Morning- Boys were worried about you last night. Haven't told them anything, was hoping you had an idea on how to break the news.'_

The old man smiled at his employer's text. He sent back a quick reply telling the man it could be a surprise, and just to make sure that everyone was in the manor and out of costume by the time they got there before glancing towards the decaying building.

He was starting to get worried about the boy, but resisted the urge to get up and march in after him. If this relationship of theirs started out without trust, it would go nowhere. Sohe sat back in the seat, checking his watch before looking at the building again.

Soon enough, Billy came back through the door, a sun-bleached green backpack slung over his shoulder and an old faded tiger plush with matter fur slung over his arm. Alfred got up and out of the vehicle, opening the trunk and taking BIlly's backpack from him. He thought better of asking the child for the plush since once his backpack was gone both arms were dedicated to clutching the animal as tightly as he could.

"Alright then, if that's everything, we can make our way to Gotham."

Billy nodded before climbing into the passenger side.

Alfred climbed into the driver's seat, buckled up, and turned off the old road and towards the city of darkness.

\- - -

When Alfred had offered to let Billy grab his things from wherever he'd been staying, the boy had been pleasantly surprised. Sure, a few things he'd have to leave there, and others he would have to stash so that he could come back as Captain Marvel later and properly put them into some sort of pocket dimension, but he could still grab the essentials that he would need.

He glanced around the barren and decrepit apartment he had chosen to call home for the past couple of weeks, scratching at his chin as he glanced towards the items on his bed-- a stained mattress on the floor.

The ten-year-old started putting his things into his backpack; an enchanted mirror John Constantine had given him a long time ago so that they could keep in contact and he could help Billy with his magic lessons, a couple of shirts and another pair of pants on the verge of falling apart like the ones he was wearing, his Justice League communicator (which he slipped into a seam tear just in case), a lightning bolt-shaped necklace that he'd gotten from someone after saving them as Cap, and a bus token-- one that had changed his life over two years ago.

He put all of these things into his old backpack, one with a tiger patch on the front pocket, before shouldering it and grabbing his plush tiger, Tawky Tawny, off the bed and giving him a squeeze.

He'd had the tiger for as long as he could remember-- one of the last things from his parents and his most prized possession.

He took all of these things with him as he bounded down multiple flights of stairs two at a time-- he wasn't sure why he was excited, but he was- maybe it was because Alfred seemed like such a nice guy, and genuinely wanted to help him, even giving him the option of coming back to Fawcett if he didn't like it in Gotham.

He had no doubt he'd be back in two weeks time-- Batman would never let Captain Marvel invade his home turf.

Still, even with the trepidation of subtly moving into Batman's domain, Billy couldn't help the rush of excitement and adrenaline he felt whenever he thought about living with someone that actually seemed to care. There was also the added bonus of them likely going to some rich house if Alfred himself was anything to go by.

Though Billy couldn't be absolutely positive, he had a hunch that Alfred was some kind of butler. And if he was a butler, that meant he worked for somebody rich-- which meant Billy was likely going to live in a mansion!

The small raven smiled at this thought before heaving the front door to the condemned building open and spotting Alfred looking worriedly towards the building. He lit up at the sight of Billy though, which made warmth bloom in his chest. Alfred was happy to see him-- _relieved_ to see him even.

The elder man loaded his backpack into the car and he climbed into the passenger seat, gripping Tawny tightly as they headed for Gotham, home of the Dark Knight.

\- - -

The drive to Gotham was a quick one, the towns only being at most 2 hours apart. Billy still managed to fall asleep in his seat though, the small boy clutching his plush tiger tightly as the car moved around him. Alfred smiled at the sight- he must be comfortable to be able to sleep in front of him.

He found it odd that a boy who had lived on the streets for so long could be so trusting, but the more time he spent around the boy, the more he wanted to do anything to make him happy. Whenever he showed it, the boy absolutely overflowed with enthusiasm, acting as a miniature beacon of light. He wondered if it was this sunny disposition that had other people on the street wanting to help him out.

Billy told him he didn't like being pitied, and he assumed he wouldn't take kindly to charity, so he hoped the kid wouldn't just turn right around when they pulled up to Wayne Manor.

Billy mumbled something in his sleep, something about a monitor and it being boring, and Alfred smiled.

Now, being that it was the middle of the day, Gotham should have the sun shining bright in the sky, casting back the shadows of the city and hiding its scummy underbelly. But this was Gotham. There seemed to be an ever-present mass of clouds hanging over the city, casting shadows and plunging the city into darkness even in the middle of the day.

He hoped it was something that Billy could get used to. Sure, there was the occasional sunny day in Gotham, where nearly everything seemed to almost screech to a halt in bated breath and there was this uncuttable tension in the air, but he had the feeling Billy would enjoy days like that.

The black Bentley fit right in amongst the streets of Gotham, sleek and dark and moving amongst the shadows as if it belonged there. Sure, there was no one who could completely meld with the shadows as Batman could, but Gothamites had a talent for sticking to the darker places and remaining unseen.

Alfred pulled into a long driveway, the wrought iron gates opening for him automatically. He drove the car up a grassy hill, the gates closing behind him, before stopping in front of Wayne Manor. He glanced down at the boy, who rustled at the sudden cease in movement.

"William, we're here," he said, turning off the old car. The raven's eyes blinked open and he yawned, rubbing at his eye with a balled-up fist and still clutching his plush toy. "Time to meet everyone." 

Billy met his gaze before looking out the passenger window, his eyes widening at the sight of the sizable house before him. He swallowed thickly at the sight of a house he was sure he'd seen before, letting out a shaky breath as he glanced back at Alfred.

"You- you live here?" he asked nervously as Alfred got out. He climbed out after him, following him to the trunk of the car.

"I do- though it's not my house. The man I work for lives here. I think you'll like him."

Billy glanced back at the house, doing a double-take at the sight of someone peering out the window, only to vanish when he looked back. "O-okay..." he mumbled quietly, following Alfred up the stone steps and to the front door. The elder man opened the large wooden doors with ease, and Billy took a step forward inside, glancing back at the butler before looking forward and clutching his tiger tighter.

When he did, he found himself staring at a group of 5-- A large man with broad shoulders, blue-grey eyes, and thick, tousled black hair. Beside him stood a lanky man, also with black hair and blue eyes, staring at him with a smile on his face. The man had on a navy blue sweater and was resting his arm on the shoulder of an annoyed young man with mostly black hair- save for the white tuft in the middle of his head. The fourth member, going by height, was one that had his black hair (was Billy sensing a theme here?) parted down the middle and had a smirk on his face.

None of that compared to the smallest member of the bunch-- a raven-haired, tan-skinned boy with piercing green eyes and a scowl on his face that seemed to look into Billy's very soul. He tensed at the sight of the boy that couldn't be more than a year older than him and clutched his stuffed animal tighter.

He found himself backing up and hiding behind Alfred's leg, apparently surprising the group if the shock on their faces was anything to go by. The one with white in his hair smacked the boy upside the head, making the boy pull a knife on the young man and growl at him.

Alfred sighed, kneeling down beside Billy. "William, this is Master Bruce Wayne and his children," he said, glancing at the group, specifically Jason and Damien, and giving them a silent look that made them freeze before they could start a fight.

"B-Bruce _Wayne_?" Billy's eyes were the size of saucers as he glanced at Bruce, flinching before looking back at Alfred. The butler wasn't sure if that reaction was from the fact that the man was a billionaire or something, else, but it was something to deal with at a later date.

"Yes. The tallest beside Mr. Wayne is Richard- though he prefers to be called Dick," he said, causing the ten-year-old to scowl at the butler. 

"Wait, so you'll call _him_ Dick, but you won't call me Billy?" he asked, making one of the boys snort.

Alfred sighed. "The one beside him, the one with white in his hair, is Jason. Beside him is Timothy, and the smallest of the group is-"

The elder man was interrupted by Damien popping up between them and assessing Billy. This made the smaller raven flinch and scramble backward in a panic, clutching his stuffed tiger tightly. 

"Damien!" Bruce said angrily, glaring at the boy as he leaned over to stare at Billy. Alfred pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Master Damien, _please_ refrain from trying to give William a heart attack. He is not a subject and not some criminal for you to pretend to grill for information." Alfred said, causing the boy to stand up straight and turn his attention towards Alfred.

Before he could say anything though, Billy spoke. "Oh- you like playing superheroes too?" he asked from his place on the floor, still clutching his pet. 

Damien scoffed. "Tt- no, I-" Bruce managed to scoop him up and slip a hand over his mouth before he could say anything else. The billionaire sighed, glancing down at the kid on the carpet. "I'm sorry Billy. There's no telling what he'd tell you-- we're working on manners," he said pointedly, glancing down at his son, who was wriggling in his arms angrily.

"Oh, it's okay. I'm used to people not liking me," Billy said off-handedly, getting up and dusting himself. Bruce frowned, glancing at Alfred.

"I'm sure Damien doesn't dislike you, William. He's just..." Alfred trailed off. "Rough around the edges is all."

Damien squawked in protest behind Bruce's hand.

"Uhh- hey, little man, why don't I show you to your room?" the tallest of the 'children', Dick, said, with a large smile. Alfred handed off the boy's faded green backpack and he shouldered it. "You can tell me what you're into." 

Billy swallowed, glancing at Alfred before nodding and Following Dick into the main foyer and leaving behind a group of people ll glaring at Damien. Not that he knew that. He followed Dick down a hallway before the room opened up into a large kitchen and what looked like reading area, reminding Billy almost of a bookstore, where they would place tables and chairs around so people could sip coffee and read their newly purchased books.

"This way, Billy-bean," Dick said, making the boy tilt his head in confusion at the nickname as they started up a grand staircase. "So, tell me about yourself-- Bruce didn't really tell us anything other than the fact that you were coming to stay with us, but I think that's cause he doesn't know much himself," he said, glancing down at the kid with a conspiratorial smile. 

"Where'd you stay before this?" he asked as they reached the top of the stairs.

"Um...Fawcett City."

"Oh cool- did you ever see Captain Marvel?" 

Billy nodded, hoping Dick didn't see his own conspiratorial smile. "Yea, he visits homeless kids all the time and hangs out with us. He'll bring us snacks and treats- it's nice," he said, remembering the multiple times he'd scrounge up enough money to buy some of the other kids snacks they wouldn't normally get to have and go as Cap to make everyone happy.

"Wait, you were homeless?" Dick asked, pausing in his step and looking down worriedly at the kid. It only lasted a moment though before the look was replaced with a warm smile. "Good thing you're with us now, kiddo," he said, ruffling Billy's hair.

The gesture was something small, but it made warmth bloom in Billy's chest. He'd always been a tactile child, but living on the streets it hadn't been the best idea to get too close to anyone. The small touch made him wonder if there would be more.

"Alright bluebird, here we are-" he said, opening a door to reveal a large room, complete with a large bed, a wooden desk, a beanbag chair in front of a flatscreen TV, and various shelves and chests scattered about the room. 

Billy's eyes widened at the sight. This one room was bigger than some of even the better places he'd stayed at in his time. Dickflicked on the light and walked in, setting Billy's bag down on the bed. "Whatcha think of that one? Probably fits the best out of all the ones I've tried," Dick said offhandedly, glancing back at the boy.

"W-what?" Billy asked.

"The nickname. You like bluebird or Nah?" Dick asked, plopping down on the edge of the bed. Billy shrugged, still looking around the room.

"I've never had a nickname," he said, decidedly ignoring when people called him Cap since that was when he was Marvel and not Billy.

Dick grinned. "Awesome- in that case, you are officially christened Bluebird!" he said, coming up behind the kid and picking him up in one fail swoop, making note of the sudden tensing as he put in him his shoulders. After a few moments, the kid relaxed, and almost leaned into his touch.

Oh yeah, this kid was gonna be a cuddler once he got used to them-- Dick could tell that much already. "Well, bluebird, what do you wanna--" he was interrupted by a light knocking on the door, turning around to find Tim standing in the doorway, his hand shoved into his bright red and black hoodie. 

"Bruce wants us downstairs," he said, making eye contact with Billy before glancing at Dick. The young man nodded and lifted Billy off his shoulders, setting him down on the bed. 

"You unpack, I'll be right back," he said with a warm smile, following Tim and shutting the door behind him. 

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whatcha think?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, sorry, but I'm trying to switch gears and funnel my muse into the fic now :P

**"You unpack, I'll be right back," Dick said with a warm smile, following Tim and shutting the door behind him. **

\- - -

Dick followed Tim halfway down the stairs before glancing back at Billy's new bedroom, shaking his head in an attempt to get the worry from his mind. He clambered onto the banister and slid the rest of the way down, leaping off and landing perfectly as Tim stepped off the last stair. His younger brother simply rolled his eyes and continued walking into the study.

The pair came in to find Bruce leaning against his desk, Damien scowling at the floor with his arms crossed and a sour look on his face, and Jason sharpening a knife absently and leaning against a table. 

"What's up Bats?" Dick asked, breaking the tense silence of the room as they walked in.

Bruce gave him an unimpressed look. "Exactly that."

The eldest 'Wayne' glanced at Tim in confusion. Tim shrugged, looking back at Bruce. "What do you mean?" Dick asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Billy's going to stay _upstairs_," Bruce said with a sigh. "He's not to know about anything bat-related. That means no more costumes in the house," he said, giving Jason a pointed look. "No mission talk," he looked at Tim. "And no telling him who you are in an attempt to show off." He glared at Damien. The boy scoffed in response.

"Then why is he even here if he's no use to us?" Damien asked, looking up at his father.

"Aw, come on, baby bird, don't be like that- Billy doesn't have to be 'of use to us' to be a part of the family," Dick said, a small smirk aimed towards the current Boy Wonder. Damien simply rolled his eyes, Jason copying the movement.

"Well, it's not like he's actually part of the 'family'. _Pennyworth_ brought him here, after all, so he's _his_ problem." Damien said with a roll of his eyes. The elder sons gave him a trio of looks and Bruce simply sighed.

"That's not true, Damien. Alfred may have brought him here, but I've known since the moment he told me about William that he'd be joining us," he said, leaning back in his chair. "You're going to have to get along, one way or another."

Damien tsked, throwing his head to the side and scowling. 

"Bruce, just how do you plan on keeping him 'strictly upstairs'? This whole Bat thing kind of takes up a lot of your free time. You really think he's knot gonna notice that his new foster dad is never around?" Jason asked, pausing in his sharpening to raise a brow at the Billionaire.

"I mean it _is_ kind of ridiculous for him to not at least _know_. It'd keep him from worrying about us if we just vanish for days on end," Tim added.

"Or, it could make him worry even more. He can't be out there with us, so what's to stop him from panicking when we're gone for longer than expected?" Bruce countered, looking around at his boys.

"No, he- he's too young. Dick, you were probably too young when you first started, Damien, the only reason you're Robin is that you've- you've been trained. Were you not you wouldn't be Robin. Billy- he's just a normal kid. We are going to keep it that way, is that clear?" he asked, standing up.

The boys made sounds of acknowledgment and Bruce nodded once. "Good. Jason, I need you to cover Damien and I's patrol for tonight- I need to make sure Billy warms up to this place. Dick, do you mind helping me with that?"

"Sure thing, Bats- uh, Bruce. Sorry. Force of habit," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Try to unlearn that," Bruce said, leading his eldest out of the room. 

The pair made their way up the stairs quietly, turning a corner and pausing at the sound of Billy's voice coming from his room. The boy's door was cracked open and his voice hushed, but it was still fairly easy to understand what he was saying. Bruce put out his arm to stop Dick in his tracks, furrowing his brow at his newest son's voice.

"I'm fine, really, it's just weird is all," the boy said, causing Dick to glance at Bruce. "Well, it's just- he's _Bruce Wayne._" His eldest furrowed his brow up at him. Bruce stayed quiet- Alfred must have given him a phone, but he wasn't aware that Billy had friends that had access to the same. 

"I know, I mean, I don't think he's a bad guy. It's just- Moving to Gotham with Mr. Alfred is one thing, moving to Gotham and living with the man that funds the_ Justice League_ is something else completely!"

Dick's eyes widened. "I thought you didn't make that public," he whispered.

"It's public- just not common knowledge. A quick google search of my name and the Justice League easily pulls up this information," Bruce whispered back.

"Victor I just- I'm scared. There's cameras and- and security systems- it feels like a massive, fancy jailhouse." 

"Well they're...they're nice...Dick is nice at least... I don't think the little one- uhm, I think his name is Damien, I don't think he likes me. There's a guy with a white stripe on his head that I don't think I've heard more than grunt, and Tim kinda feels like he doesn't socialize well." There was the sound of the boy plopping down onto the bed. 

"Its...its just new, I guess..." he breathed, letting out a sigh as he spoke. "I already feel like a burden, especially since I think I just took the spot of the baby of the house and Damien doesn't approve of that..."

Bruce's eyebrows climbed up his forehead slightly. Billy was perceptive- it would have been hard for a normal kid his age to see what Damien's aggression at that moment had stemmed from, even if the boy himself wouldn't admit to it. Though, if Billy had been a foster kid for so many years and had bounced around through as many houses as his file says he had, he probably had to be that perceptive.

"Bruce...maybe we should...?" Dick's whispered words pulled him out of his musings.

"Yes- right."

The pair relaxed and continued their walk down the hall, coming closer to the 10-year old's door. Bruce rapped his knuckles against the wood before pushing open the door. Billy flinched, his new phone flying into the air and him suddenly doubling over in pain. 

Bruce was by the boy's side in an instant, Dick moving to catch the phone before it landed on the carpet. "Billy- are you okay? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he said, making a mental note to work on making his footsteps louder. 

The boy shook his head, eyes pinched shut in pain as he struggled to straighten. "It- It's okay, mister Wayne, it's not your- not your fault." 

"Well still," he continued as Dick brought the boy's phone over. Whoever 'Victor' had been had hung up, so the phone screen was dark. Billy took the phone back and thanked the eldest Wayne, letting out a shaky breath.

"So did ya get everything unpacked?" Dick asked, breaking the growing silence in the room.

Billy blinked, glancing at his backpack before shaking his head. "N-no- sorry, I got distracted..." he mumbled. Dick took it in stride, a grin appearing on his face.

"That's fine, bluebird- just means we get to help ya is all," he said, reaching for the backpack. Billy tensed, his eyes widening a fraction. Bruce tensed as well, reaching out to suddenly grab Dick's arm before he could touch the old bag.

Billy had been homeless before this he remembered- his things were probably very precious to him and he most likely had anxiety over someone else touching them. Who knows if they might get stolen on the streets. "Why don't you let Billy do that on his own? Let him settle and put his things where he wants?" he said pointedly, looking Dick in the eyes.

For a moment the young man was silent before it looked like a light switch turned on in his brain. "Oh- sure, sorry Bluebird. Didn't mean to cross any lines or anything," he said, glancing at the boy and retracting his arm. The tension lessened from the 10-year-old, and Bruce considered that a win of sorts.

"Right- well, we'll make a day of getting you some new clothes tomorrow- Dick and Alfred can take you since unfortunately, I have a meeting that I cannot miss tomorrow," he said, rising from the edge of the bed.

Billy nodded, chewing on his lip nervously and not meeting the billionaire's gaze. "Right, I'm sorry for scaring you again, Billy, really I am. I'll leave you to unpack on your own, okay?" he said, getting another wordless nod in return.

Bruce tried not to let his discomfort show, standing up and leaving the room-- looked like he still had some work to do before he could be in Billy's good graces. The kid seemed skiddish around him almost- and either threatened by his ties to the League or overwhelmed by them if his conversation was anything to go by.

The billionaire ignored the tugging knot in his gut that told him he was missing something, choosing instead to leave his eldest and his now-youngest alone together. He needed to prepare for the League meeting tomorrow.

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, if you can't tell from this chapter, the main people I'm really gonna focus on is gonna be BIlly, Bruce, Dick, Damien and maybe Alfred.
> 
> I do not know Jason and Tim's characters well enough to really do them justice, so I'm very sorry about that in advance. They'll still be around, they'll just be quiet.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's time for some BROTHERLY BONDING! YEAHHHH BABEY

**The billionaire ignored the tugging knot in his gut that told him he was missing something, choosing instead to leave his eldest and his now-youngest alone together. He needed to prepare for the League meeting tomorrow.**

\- - -

Billy glanced at Dick as Bruce closed the bedroom door, watching as the young man rummaged through the cabinets beneath the large TV that sat against the wall. He rubbed the back of his neck- were they supposed to be spending time together or something? He knew that it was probably best, what with them living together now, but if the 10-year-old was honest, he wasn't sure how long he'd actually last here.

He had been planning on booking it as soon as the opportunity presented itself, but with the security a fancy mansion like this place probably had, that outcome wasn't looking so good.

Speaking of security, that little detail also made changing into Captain Marvel more of a challenge- usually, he could send the surrounding technology into a fit by transforming, but this was a _billionaire's_ place. This was a guy that he had running bet with Flash over whether or not he _made_ or just _funded_ Batman's gadgets.

He wasn't going to test his luck with that one.

Billy laid back down on the bed, his legs hanging off the edge. Bruce had said something about a meeting, reminding him that he too had a meeting tomorrow-- though his was one that had to do with more than stocks and whatever else rich people dealt with. Maybe he could get Victor to cover for him? He hoped his presence wouldn't draw too much attention.

"Hey Bluebird, you okay there? You look like you're contemplating the meaning of life," Dick said, walking over with a blue-rimmed game case in his hand. The taller of the two took a seat beside him on the bed, glancing down at Billy with a small smile.

"Look, I get that this place can be overwhelming- trust me, when I first showed up, it took me months to get used to the place," he said, glancing around the large bedroom. "But you'll get used to it in time, trust me. Jason did, and he lived on the streets like you."

Dick plopped down on the bed, turning his head to glance at Billy again. "And I'm here if you ever wanna talk. We all are."

That was weird- Billy furrowed his brow at the sense of warmth blooming in his chest at those words. Dick had this aura of genuineness about him, something that honestly reminded Billy of Flash or Nightwing- something that was so rare in his day-to-day life that he couldn't help but be struck by it. It made him want to spill his guts to the eldest 'Wayne', to tell him how he was feeling, just how unsure of this whole thing he was.

But old habits die hard and as much as he wanted to talk to him, something held him back. Something in the back of his mind told him that if he started talking to Dick that Dick would find a way to use it against him. The rational part of him knew that was stupid, but he'd made that mistake before.

You couldn't trust anyone on the streets-- he had the scar to prove it.

Billy couldn't help the yawn that escaped him, catching Dick off guard and making him smile. "You've had kind of a long day, huh? Come on, let's get you into bed, you can unpack tomorrow," he said, standing up and moving to the head of the bed to pull back the covers. 

The small raven nodded after a moment, sitting up with a slight wince before sliding off the edge of the bed and toeing off his shoes. He then slipped under the covered of probably the softest bed he'd ever felt in his life. Dick smiled, walking towards the door. "Night Bluebird- sleep tight, and don't let the Batman bite."

Dick flicked off the light and left the room, shutting the door softly behind him.

The tension in Billy's shoulders melted when the door shut, the boy immediately sitting up in bed and throwing the covers back. He ran over to his backpack and started rummaging around, thanking whatever Gods might be listening that Mr. Wayne had stopped Dick from touching the thing.

He would not have been able to explain why he had a Justice League communicator or tome of ancient spells and was happy he didn't have to. The raven pulled out his communicator and the old, leather-bound book and looked around the room for someplace to stash them- a place that no one was likely to look.

That place ended up being a loose floorboard beside his bed. He wasn't going to question how a fancy place like this had loose floorboards since it was likely that Mr. Wayne didn't even know it was there. He set his things inside carefully and clambered back into bed, staring up at the ceiling as exhaustion began to take hold. Was he really gonna give this a shot? It was only for two weeks, sure, but a part of him got a rush from thinking that this place could maybe, possibly, conceivably become...home.

He fell asleep rather quickly as these thoughts spiraled in his mind.

\- - -

When he woke up, it was to the curtains in the room being slid open and sunlight being let into the large room. The slight noise was enough to make Billy wake, glancing around with sleepy vision for any sign of danger. "It's just me, Master William," Alfred said, quelling the 10-year-old's nerves as he tied one of the drapes neatly at the side of the window.

He sat up after some struggle, ignoring the pain in his side and rubbing at his eyes with another yawn. "What I gotta do to get you to call me Billy?" he asked sleepily, getting a chuckle out of the old man as he finished opening the curtains. 

"Why don't we compromise, hm? I'll call you Master Billy, and you come downstairs to eat breakfast with everyone," Alfred said, glancing back the boy as he slid out of bed.

Billy considered this before shrugging. "Alright," Alfred smiled, leading him out the bedroom and down the large staircase. They turned a corner once at the bottom and went into the dining room, a place that had that biggest dining table Billy had ever seen covered in breakfast food. "Help yourself," Alfred said, pulling out a chair for the 10-year-old beside the man with a white streak in his hair- Billy thought his name was James or something?

No, not James- Jason. Johnson?

The white-streaked man glanced at him, sitting back in his chair with a mug of steaming coffee in his hand. He was reading something off a tablet and had a plate of eggs and toast in front of him. "...Sleep alright?" he grunted after a moment, likely after a pointed look from Alfred.

"Oh uh- yeah," Billy said, avoiding the man's gaze as he attempted to reach a couple of pancakes off the top layer. He was having trouble reaching them, a small grunt coming from him as he tried not to climb onto the table to get them.

"Here," the young man said with a roll of his eyes, standing up and plopping three pancakes onto Billy's plate. "Anything else you want?" he asked, glancing down at the kid.

Billy met his eyes before turning them down again. "Um- no- no this is fine, thank you."

The white-streaked man raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him. "There's plenty to go around, kid. Take as much as you want," he said, his voice softening slightly. "I know its...different, but seriously, it's fine if you take more."

"Um...could- could I take an orange?" Billy asked, glancing at the fruit in a ceramic bowl. 

The corner of the young man's mouth quirked up slightly in a smirk. "Somethin' for later- smart thinkin' kid. Anything else?"

A small smile appeared on Billy's face. "Um- well I could eat some eggs if-" The man was already on it, picking up the large plate of eggs off the table and spooning some onto Billy's plate. "Thank you..." he mumbled.

"Jason," the young man said, sitting back down in his own chair. "Name's Jason. And don't worry about it, really. This place has more food than it knows what to do with," he grunted, turning his attention back on his tablet.

Billy smiled at the familiar tone- it was one that usually older men on the streets took when talking to him- one that on the outside, portrayed this grizzled, tough exterior, but was actually warm and caring. It was one that he was used to hearing tell him the nearest soup kitchen or what place was giving out the free soup that day. It made him feel warm and fuzzy, something so familiar.

Jason cast a glance towards him as he dug into his food, his small smirk never vanishing.

It did, however, vanish when another person walked in wearing a Gotham Academy sweatshirt and pajama pants. Tim, Billy remembered his name was, grabbed a plate, an apple, and four slices of toast before turning around and leaving the room without a word. The small raven blinked, glancing at Jason for some kind of sign he didn't just hallucinate that.

"Tim doesn't do breakfast with the rest of us common folk," Jason said, never looking up from his tablet before taking a sip of his coffee. "He's probably working on something for Gotham PD, don't take it personal."

Billy blinked, nodding slowly before eating a bite of pancakes. Wait- did Alfred make these!? "Mr. Alfred these are amazing," Billy said through stuffed cheeks, making the butler wince and Jason snort. 

"Thank you, Master W-Billy, but _please_ try not to speak with your mouth full..." he said with a grimace.

"Ah cut him a break. Kid probably hasn't eaten breakfast at a table in months," Jason said, continuing to read over his tablet. He wasn't wrong- usually, if he was lucky enough to even _eat_ breakfast, he'd eat on a rooftop or somewhere else he could see the sunrise.

Billy was about to say something else when Dick came, literally, sliding into the room. Jason picked up his mug, still keeping his eyes locked on his tablet, as Dick ended up sliding into the table, jostling the liquids on top of it and knocking a container of syrup over. He set his mug back down and finally glanced up, giving the eldest an unimpressed look.

"You'd have gotten farther if the table wasn't there, dipshit."

"Ow- yeah, I know, but I forgot we moved it," Dick replied, standing up and smiling at the array of food before glancing at Billy. "Oh hey, Bluebird! How'd ya sleep?" he asked, picking up a plate and piling pancakes, toast, muffins, and eggs onto it before plopping down on the 10-year-old's other side.

"Good," Billy said through another mouthful of food, Alfred grimacing behind him.

"That's great- oh, hey Jason, me and Alfred are gonna take Billy to get some new duds- you wanna come with?" Dick asked, grabbing a forkful of eggs and shoving them into his mouth. Jason glanced at him before looking down at Billy.

He met Dick's eyes again before setting down his tablet on the table. "As much as I would _love_ to be seen in public with you, Dick, I can't. I got work to do," he said, taking another swig from his mug.

"Aw come on, Jay, your work can be put off for a couple of hours," Dick said, giving the bulkier of the two puppy dog eyes. Jason simply shook his head and stood, taking his mug and his tablet with him. 

"Nope. And don't call me that."

And with that he left, leaving Dick, Billy, and Alfred alone in the dining room. "Oh well- maybe next time, Bluebird," Dick said, continuing to eat his mountain of food. They stayed like that only for a few minutes though, before the door was suddenly kicked open and Damien walked in wearing full gi garb and-

Wait, was that a sword at his side-

Billy's eyes widened slightly as the boy only cast him a cursory glance before grabbing an apple and scowling at Dick as he shoveled food into his mouth. "You're _disgusting_, Grayson," he grumbled, sitting down at a chair and propping his feet on the table. Alfred gave him a look and he rolled his eyes, taking his feet _off_ the table.

The emerald-eyed boy turned his gaze on Billy, making the younger of the two squirm. He looked him up and down before glancing at his plate. Billy suddenly felt self-conscious about the amount on his plate- had he got too much? He couldn't really put it back. Billy tensed, catching the attention of Dick, who threw a fork in Damien's direction.

"Stop that, baby bird, you're making him uncomfortable," he said, shaking his head at the Wayne and nudging Billy gently. "Don't worry about him- he's always grumpy. You learn to live with it."

Billy nodded, still avoiding the slightly taller boy's gaze. He was fairly certain that if Damien had laser vision, Billy would be a puddle on the floor by now. He took a hesitant bite of his eggs, still avoiding those piercing green eyes.

"Tt- If you can't even look at me, how are you supposed to survive in Gotham? Or at a Gotham school? This is pathetic," Damien said, rolling his eyes and taking another bite of his apple. Dick sighed, standing up. 

"Alright- uncalled for. You're being a brat on purpose now, aren't you?"

"I'm being reasonable. He's _soft_. Gotham is no place for someone like him."

"Damien that- you're being ridiculous and rude. Billy has just as much of a right to be here as any of us."

"Oh, does he? He's not even going to help us with our work, what right does he have to be here?!"

Alfred sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and walking over to Billy. "Come on, let's go upstairs. Leave these two to work this out," he said, guiding BIlly out of his chair and out the dining room archway. The small raven stayed quiet, his eyes cast downward as the tension in the room continued to rise.

Had he done something to upset Damien? He hadn't taken his room, had he? He might have taken the spot as youngest, but Damien didn't seem like the type to be too upset over that- he acted almost like Billy hadn't _earned_ the right to be here. Which, honestly, Billy wasn't sure why Alfred had chosen him to bring home anyways, but--

"Master Billy?" Alfred's voice brought him out of his thoughts, making him blink and look around- turns out they had made it to his room. Alfred was looking at him with a warm grin on his face. "Lost in your own mind?" he asked, confusing the boy slightly.

"I've seen that look more times than I can count," the butler said, walking over to the large dresser. "I took the liberty of moving a couple of Damien's old clothes- things that don't fit him anymore- in here until we can get you some new things," he continued, pulling out a pair of black jeans and a dark t-shirt.

Billy nodded, glancing towards the door- this wouldn't make Damien hate him even more, would it?

...He hoped not.

He managed to change into the clothes once Alfred had turned away, which felt much stiffer than the things he was used to wearing. He glanced towards the old man and cleared his throat, to which Alfred responded by turning around and grinning at the sight. "Much better," he said, gathering Billy's old clothes up. "I'll just wash these and bring them back to you later, alright?"

"Oh hey! Lookin' good there, stud," Dick's voice pulled Billy's attention towards the doorway. The young man was standing there with a grin on his face and- was that a gash on his face?! The raven's eyes widened at the sight. Had Damien used that sword against Dick because of him!?

Dick furrowed his brow at the look before bringing up a hand to rub at his cheek. He glanced at the blood on his fingers before his eyebrows climbed up. "Looks like he landed a swipe after all," he said before wiping the blood on his jeans and turning his attention back to Billy. "Don't worry 'bout it- this is how we get through things," he said with an easy grin.

Alfred gave him a pointed look before depositing the clothes in the laundry hamper in the corner of the room. "I wish you two would find a less _violent_ way to work out your issues."

Dick waved him off before swooping Billy up and putting him on his shoulders. "Where's the fun in that? Come on- Let's go get Bluebird some clothes." Billy couldn't help the small grin on his face as Dick carried him out of the bedroom and started making his way down the stairs.

\- - - 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> relinquish your comments to me, dear readers, so that my day shall be made and my happiness extended.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> weird wonky chapter idk man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact- I write most of these chapters at like 1 am, and look over them in the morning, so usually the more articulate parts are in the beginning, from when its 1 am and I'm trying my best lol
> 
> Also, just letting people know now before I get yelled at-- I know Titus isn't Ace the Bat-Hound. But in this....he is. Titus is Bat-Hound.

**Dick waved him off before swooping Billy up and putting him on his shoulders. "Where's the fun in that? Come on- Let's go get Bluebird some clothes." Billy couldn't help the small grin on his face as Dick carried him out of the bedroom and started making his way down the stairs.**

\- - -

Billy, Dick, and Alfred loaded into the car Alfred had driven when he first picked him up and they set off away from the mansion. Billy sat beside Dick in the backseat, looking at the cityscape of Gotham as they drove. 

It wasn't often that he got to see Gotham, what with Batman's 'no metas' rule, and it was honestly not as dark as he'd been expecting. Then again, Billy had been expecting a perpetual night or constant overcast, but the day was only slightly cloudy, and sure, the buildings cast long shadows, the place was nothing like how some of his old street friends described it.

In fact- Billy thought he could learn to like the place. Well- if he didn't find a way to get back to Fawcett, that is. He'd have to remember to thank Victor for not only covering for him at . today's meeting, but for keeping an eye on his city for him. There was no telling when he'd get a moment to himself if all this chapperoning continued.

Billy didn't notice that the car had stopped until Dick nudged his shoulder with a grin. "Come on, Bluebird, this place is great," he said, climbing out his side of the car. Billy followed suit, looking up at the high-end mall in front of him. It almost looked like a palace- massive, white, and with huge entrances.

He glanced at Dick's hand as he slipped it into his and gave him a reassuring squeeze, a small smile appearing on his face before they started towards the massive building.

They ended up in some high-end children's clothing store, a place where Billy had to stand on a pedestal while an old guy measured him. It was awkward and weird, and Dick was giving him a pitying look the whole time.

"Come on, Alfie, Billy doesn't need specially tailored stuff," he tried, only getting a look from the butler.

"A single pair of suits is quite necessary, Master Dick, especially for the press conferences to come," he replied, turning his attention back towards the 10-year-old- who honestly, felt like he was being tortured. The old man measuring him held a tape measure from his armpit to his waist before marking the final measurement down on a clipboard. 

"There we go, mon petit, we are finished and you may step down," he said, straightening with a soft smile. Billy smiled back at him, rubbing his nose as he glanced at the man's thick white mustache before looking back at Alfred and Dick. "Mon amie, if you would come this way, we can speak about the payment," the man continued, turning his attention to Alfred now. 

Alfred left with him towards the counter and Dick managed to scoop Billy up and set him on his shoulders- something the kid suspected Dick wouldn't stop anytime soon. He simply smiled and rest his chest in the man's fluffy black hair as they left the store to wait outside.

The inside of the mall was like a neighborhood almost- there was a large fountain and potted trees all over the place, not to mention the skyline that let in light. Across the way from the fancy place they were in was what looked like a comic shop, a place that Dick smiled at . before walking towards it.

"Shouldn't we wait for Mr. Alfred?" Billy asked, glancing back at the pair of old men chatting at the counter.

"Nah- him and Alexandre are old friends. They'll start up a conversation and be there for a hot minute," Dick replied, ducking slightly so that Billy wouldn't hit his head before grabbing him and setting him back down on the ground. "Ever been here?" Dick asked, glancing around.

Billy shook his head, looking at the various colorful books sealed in clear plastic wrap.

"Well, this place is one of the best in Gotham. Wanna know why?" 

Billy looked up at him as he pulled a sleek black and blue-tinted comic from one of the display shelves. "Cause they got Nightwing comics," Dick beamed. Looked like Dick was a superhero fan- the thought made BIlly smile; he was too. Though, it was kind of ironic just how much Dick acted like Nightwing- maybe that was why he liked the hero so much.

"Nightwing's cool, kinda dorky though," Billy said offhandedly, pulling out a comic with Flash on the cover. He realized what he just said and tensed, glancing up at Dick. Please don't find that suspicious, please don't find that suspicious-

"Yea, but his dorkiness is part of his charm," Dick winked, setting the comic back. 

Oh, thank the Gods.

Billy slid the Flash comic back before pulling out a Superman one as Dick pulled out a Batman one. "Surprised to actually find one of these here- usually Batman comics are really hard to find in Gotham," Dick said, keeping the comic close to his chest. "This bad boy's comin' home with me for sure."

Billy giggled at that, sliding the Superman comic back and grabbing a bright red and yellow one. He slid it out and paused, staring at his own face- well, Captain Marvel's face, on the cover of a comic. "Whoa..." he breathed, pulling the comic out and staring down at its shiny cover.

Dick seemed to have noticed and squatted down beside him. "Fan of the big red cheese, huh? Good choice. He's pretty cool," Dick said with a smile. "Though I shouldn't really be surprised since you're from Fawcett, huh?" he asked, standing up. "Come on, let's go pay for these."

"Wait, I can get this?" Billy asked, staring up at the young man.

Dick smirked down at him, ruffling his hair before snatching his comic away. " 'Course, dude. Think of it as a welcome gift or something," he said, setting the pair of comics down on the counter and allowing the young woman behind it to ring them up. They were bagged and Dick gave her his card, and before he knew it they were leaving the store and meeting Alfred halfway.

"Ah, I see you've picked up some reading material," Alfred said with a sly look towards Dick. "Anything interesting?"

"Just a Batman comic- but BIlly here got a Captain Marvel comic," Dick said with a grin before ruffling Billy's hair again.

"Sound's delightful," Alfred replied before taking the lead once more. They hopped from store to store, with Billy trying on various outfits ranging from casual and comfy, which him and Dick really liked, to more formal things, which Alfred really seemed to like.

They got a mixture of things, along with two whole suits, and three pairs of shoes since Billy's were, according to Dick, 'so close to falling apart they were more duck tape than shoe'. The trio ended up in a food court, with Billy and Dick sitting at a table eating passive corndogs while Alfred made some calls.

Billy glanced towards the old man as Dick shoved his corndog into his mouth, watching him talk on the phone. "I'll check for him once we get back to the mansion, Master Bruce. I'm sure he just forgot," he said, confusing the boy. "He wouldn't skip a meeting without justifiable cause- perhaps he's dealing with something in Fawcett."

Billy furrowed his brows, tilting his head slightly and getting Dick's attention. He glanced at Alfred, tensed, and started choking. The smaller raven's head snapped towards Dick as he sputtered on his corndog, the butler's conversation disregarded. "Dick are you okay?!" he asked, unsure what to do as Dick coughed before finally managing to swallow his food. He pat the elder raven's back, watching him worriedly.

"I'm alright- I'm alright. Surprisingly not the first time I've choked on a corndog," Dick said with a chuckle, making Billy shake his head. "Come on," he said, standing up. "Why don't we go check out that toy store, hm?" he asked, pointing to a store that was a good distance away from Alfred. Dick grabbed the kid by the hand and they abandoned their fair food, walking across the floor of colorful tiles towards the glass-walled store.

Billy had seen a couple of toy stores in his time, but he'd never actually been inside one- usually, their owners didn't take too kindly to a kid on their own. 

Walking into the store felt like entering a whole new world. Plush animals covered various shelves, bright-colored toys were scattered about on the floor, hanging from hooks, and on shelves around them. Music drifted through the store as he and Dick passed a series of princess dresses, Billy following Dick absently.

His mind was still on Alfred, and the weird conversation he was having with who the kid could only assume was Bruce. Why were they talking about Fawcett City? Was something going on there that he was needed for? But what would that have to do with Mr. Wayne's company? He picked up a toy absently and squeezed the plush, lost in his own thoughts. 

Either Mr. Wayne having something to do with Fawcett City was one big coincidence, or he owed Flash $20 cause the billionaire was Batman's eyes on the ground. He tensed at the thought of Mr. Wayne having people spread across the country keeping an eye on heroes and looking for them, but it made sense if he worked that closely with Batman.

Still, the thought made him edgy- what had he seen? Did Mr. Wayne know his secret identity? Is that why Alfred had picked him up?! The small boy's breathing grew erratic, his thoughts racing as fear crept up his spine. If Mr. Wayne knew, he might tell Batman, and Batman might tell the rest of the League- wait, was the room spinning or was that just him?

He paused at the feeling of a strong hand on his shoulder, keeping him steady as he clung to the small, plush elephant in his arms for dear life. "-illy? Billy, you there, kiddo?" Dick asked, coming into his frame of view with worry in his eyes.

Billy was able to draw in a long breath at the sight of the older raven, his presence enough to ground Billy in reality. "Hey, hey, it's alright," Dick said, sitting down cross-legged on the floor and pulling Billy into his lap. He hugged him, wrapping himself around the 10-year-old in a warm hug. The tension in Billy's frame started to melt away, his breathing coming back down to normal. 

"It's alright, Bluebird, everything's okay," Dick cooed, still hugging him. "Just breathe, its alright. What happened?"

Billy stayed quiet, glancing down at the stuffed elephant in his arms. "N-nothing," he mumbled, his voice shaky. Dick let out a small breath but stayed quiet. "I um..." he continued, though he wasn't sure why. "I overheard Mr. Alfred talking about Fawcett City..." he said slowly, fear and caution still in the 10-year-old's eyes.

Dick's shoulders dropped slightly, a small smile appearing on his face. "Yeah, I figured. Bruce was just worried about one of his employees. He's a guy that never misses a meeting, but for some reason didn't show up," he explained. "He lives in Fawcett City, that's all. No big disasters or anything to worry about."

Wait- so Mr. Wayne was only worrying about one of his employees then- maybe Flash owed _him_ $20 then after all. Maybe- maybe they didn't know. A relieved smile appeared on his face, one that Dick mistook and returned.

"Come on, let's go home. I'll show you around this place some other time," he said, standing up and placing Billy on his feet. The boy nodded and put the stuffed elephant back, following Dick out of the toy store and down the tiled hallway. 

\- - -

They got back to Wayne Manor without any further incident, Billy following Dick inside quietly and watching him struggle to carry all the bags on his own. Alfred shook his head at the young man, a pair of suits hung over his arm as he followed the boys up the stairs. 

The trio walked into Billy's bedroom (wasn't that a weird thought) to find a massive black dog sitting atop the bed. Billy blinked at the sight of the animal, smiling at it.

"He's adorable!" Billy said, running over to the dog happily and holding out a hand for it to sniff. Dick moved to stop him, only for Alfred to hold him back. "He's so sweet," Billy said with a giggle as the massive dog clambered off the bed and started licking him happily. 

"Not usually..." Dick said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Titus doesn't usually do well with new people."

Billy glanced up from underneath the dog, rubbing at its floppy jaws as the large dog's tail wagged. "Why's he in here then? He seems perfectly friendly to me," he said, glancing towards the still very tense Dick. The dog actually reminded him of Batdog or Krypto in a way- he'd only gotten to spend time with the dogs once, when Superman and Batman had asked him to keep an eye on them in the Watchtower, but this dog acted just like them.

Big, friendly, and _really_ slobbery. Titus sat down on the carpet, allowing Billy view to something that threw him for a loop. A thick yellow collar was wrapped around the dog's neck, with a metal bat emblem on the front. He furrowed his brow at the sight, glancing back towards Dick and Alfred.

"Oh yeah, I forgot we got that for him," Dick grinned, squatting down. the held out a hand for the dog and it came over, sniffing his hand before licking it. "Can't have a big black dog in Gotham and not get him something Batman-themed, right?" he said with what looked like a nervous smile.

Billy's brow furrowed further- Dick was hiding something from him, he could feel it. It felt like all of them were hiding something from him, now that he thought about it, but Billy wasn't sure if it was because he was paranoid or what. Titus came back over to him, tail wagging before the dog suddenly glomped down on his arm.

Everyone froze, all eyes locked on the dog that was still wagging its tail. Alfred and Dick, fearing for Billy's much-too-small arm inside the dog's mouth, and Billy, realizing just why this dog was so familiar. 

Titus pulled Billy's arm into his lap before clambering onto it himself, sending Billy through the familiar motions of running his hand along the dog's spine while it crushed his legs. Though, the last time he'd done this the dog had been wearing some sort of cowl and he had been much bigger. Still, it was a shock to the system- this- this was Bathound. _Bruce Wayne owned Bat-Hound._

He blinked, letting out a giggle as he ruffled the dog's ears. "Good to see you too, boy," he whispered, pushing his forehead against the dog's. Dick still looked tense, ready to uncoil like a spring at any moment and grab the canine if he started to bite Billy.

"He's- he's super sweet!" the raven said, trying not to let on to the mind-blowing revelation that he'd just discovered and was still kind of recovering from. Did Dick know that Titus was Bat-Hound? Did Alfred? Obviously Mr. Wayne knew, but that raised the question as to why his dog was Bat-Hound in the first place- maybe Titus was Batman's, but he didn't have time to take care of him so he lived with the Waynes?

It didn't matter, honestly, Billy was just happy to have a familiar face. Even if said familiar face was currently covering his own in slobber.

"Oh for heaven's sake, Master Dick please pull Titus off the poor boy, he's going to crush him," Alfred said, shaking his head at the scene. Dick blinked, shaking his head and moving to grab the massive dog. 

"Oh he's alright," Billy said, standing up and wiping the drool from his cheeks. "No harm done. He's a good boy, aren't you Titus?" he cooed, making the dog bark and wag its tail.

"Still, might wanna be careful. Titus doesn't usually warm up to people he doesn't know that quickly," Dick replied, still holding the Great Dane's collar. The young man squat down, perching on his legs to pet the dog's head. "Though that does raise the question as to why you were in here big guy," he said to the dog, glancing at Alfred with a knowing look.

"Well, I _thought_ he might get some guard dog training in. Looks like he's terrible at that though, if he can't even attack a defenseless target," a voice came from the doorway. The trio looked towards it, only to find Damien leaning against the frame, his arms crossed and a scowl etched into his features.

"You WHAT?!" Dick yelped, eyes wide as he stood up. "You mean you put Titus in Billy's room _hoping_ he'd _attack_ him?!"

Damien shrugged.

Dick looked like he was going to burst a gasket. "I'm telling Bruce."

"As if he'll care."

Dick ignored him, casting an apologetic glance towards Billy before leaving the room and shoulder-checking the 11-year-old on the way out. Damien tsk'ed and followed silently, leaving Billy, Titus, and Alfred alone.

The aging butler sighed, moving to hang up the new suits. "I'm sorry about Master Damien..." he started, smoothing out the fabric of one of the suits. "He's not... he doesn't have the best social skills. I know that's no excuse for his behavior, but-" 

"It's alright, Mr. Alfred. Trust me when I say that this is nothing compared to other foster homes I've been in," Billy said, sitting down on the edge of his bed and toeing off his shoes. Titus came over and rest his head on Billy's lap, making the boy smile gently.

"One of my foster brothers carved the letter 3 into my side with an old knife, since I was the third and last kid there and he wasn't gonna 'lose his top spot' to some low life like me," he said, petting the Great Dane slowly. 

Alfred stared at him, pain and sadness in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Billy. You don't deserve a treatment like that. Damien may be...rough, but he'd never hurt you. He likely knew that Titus wouldn't attack you, and only said that to intimidate you or something," he offered, to which Billy nodded.

"Probably. Either way, I'm alright," the small raven replied, laying back on the bed. "I'm probably just gonna go to bed, is that alright?" he asked, looking at the butler. It was only 7 pm, and the sun was only halfway over the horizon, but Billy needed some time to himself.

"Of course," Alfred said, glancing around the room. "Just..give him some time. Damien will warm up to you in his own way, I promise," he suggested, turning off the light and closing the door behind him.

Billy nodded, staring up at the ceiling as Titus clambered onto the bed with him. He stayed like that for a while before a thought came to his mind and he looked at the large dog. "How can a kid that has freakin' _Bat-Hound_ as a pet be so mean?" he asked, looking at the dog as it yawned. "Yea, I dunno either, Titus."

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me whatcha think of this one it was pretty fun to write. :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to see how the other half lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if anyone's ooc :3

**Billy nodded, staring up at the ceiling as Titus clambered onto the bed with him. "How can a kid that has Bat-Hound as a pet be so mean?" he asked, looking at the dog as it yawned. "Yea, I dunno either, Titus."**

\- - -

Bruce ran a hand through his hair- today had been more stressful than he'd imagined. Not only had Captain Marvel missed a meeting and Cyborg given him a half-cocked excuse in the demigod's place, but the man had been radio silent for the past week-- no pings, no check-ins, nothing.

Calling Alfred and asking him to look for the hero with a drone had been a bust, so until Marvel came back online there was little he could do besides go to Fawcett City himself and find the man himself.

Which he would do- if it weren't for one small snag.

His youngest and newest member of the family, Billy, was not only expecting to see him that evening, but he apparently had some kind of panic attack while at the mall. That in itself was concerning and made Bruce's instincts surge with the want to coddle the much-too-small-for-his-age-boy, but not only was that a completely new feeling for him, he felt like he wasn't close enough to the boy for that just yet.

He'd only been there a day and a half, and already he'd been told about Damien's negative antics twice- the second being told to him currently.

Dick was fuming, pacing back and forth and practically ranting to him about the boy. About his plan with Titus and his attitude, going on various different tangents. 

"I mean, the kid's a hundred pounds soaking wet, he- there's no way he could even- Damien has nothing to even be jealous of! He's not after the cowl, he's not after the Robin suit, and even if he was-"

"Dick."

The lanky young man paused, glancing towards Bruce, who was sitting in the chair in front of the Bat-Computer. He blinked, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry, I just... I'm not used ot having a normal kid around. He could get seriously hurt by Damien's stunts."

"Damien's pulled dangerous things around the rest of you before."

"Yeah, but we can handle it. I mean, we're all in the hero business or at least trained in it, we know what to expect. Billy- Billy's just an innocent kid. He gets stars in his eyes when he looks at heroes, he doesn't see them as people you work alongside, he sees them as legends."

Bruce nodded slowly. "Where's Damien?" he asked, glancing around.

The boy in question fell from the ceiling, fully-outfitted in his robin suit. "I was testing him."

"For what?! Billy's like 10, he has a stuffed tiger! It has a _name_ for Pete's sake!!" Dick yelled, throwing his hands up.

Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose, leaning back in his chair. "Damien, you're done 'testing' Billy. No more. I told everyone he's strictly upstairs, so whatever it is you're planning, kill it." He said, glaring into his son's eyes. "I mean it. Leave him alone. Billy may be sweet, but he was still a street kid. He knows how to handle himself if you take it too far."

Damien rolled his eyes, muttering a reply. "Now go, and take off that uniform. You're not going out until you can figure out how to behave." The boy whipped around, glaring daggers at Bruce. 

"You can't do that! I am Robin, I've earned my place at your side-"

"The place at my side is reserved for a _hero_, Damien. You're acting like a villain."

The boy paused, staring him down before his shoulders dropped and he tore off his domino mask. He retreated into the darkness, leaving Bruce to sigh. "Thank you for watching out for him, Dick. I'll go check on him-"

"No need sir," Alfred said, coming down the steps with a silver tray of mugs. "Master Billy has decided he needs some time alone. Says he's going to bed, but I doubt that." He distributed the mugs among Dick and Bruce, the elder sitting back down in his chair and rubbing his chin.

"Is he okay?"

"He's...adjusting."

Bruce rubbed his forehead. "Great," he muttered, turning around and typing something into the computer. An image came up of Billy's room, from the viewpoint of what looked like a ceramic abstract art piece.

"Really? Nanny cam?" Dick asked, raising a brow at him.

"I meant to take it out when Billy moved in, but I forgot," Bruce explained, watching the feed closely. "I'll remove it tomorrow, don't worry."

Billy was laying on the bed sideways, staring up at the ceiling and petting Titus's head gently. Bruce unmuted the feed when the boy started talking, taking a sip from his steaming mug. 

**"I just...I don't understand."**

The trio watched the 10-year-old lament to the dog beside him. **"How can a kid that has _Bat-Hound_ as a pet be so mean?" **he said, glancing towards the dog and making the trio tense. Bruce's eyes widened, his grip on his mug tightening. Titus yawned in response, making Billy smile.

**"Yea, I dunno either, Titus."**

"Did he-"

Bruce rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to push back the oncoming feeling of a migraine. "What did you tell him?" he asked, glancing towards Dick. The lanky raven shook his head, still staring wide-eyed at the screen.

"Maybe he's more perceptive than we've given him credit," Alfred offered. "He did notice the bright yellow Batman-themed collar around Titus's neck, after all."

This was going to be something that was very hard to smooth over- maybe even something he wouldn't be able to un-convince the boy of. Bruce needed time to think, time to re-evaluate what he was doing. He pulled up Billy's file and closed the feed, looking over the information he'd gathered thus far.

"No way," Dick said, appearing just over his shoulder with a shit-eating grin. "His last name is BATSON?!" he asked, his eyes wide. The raven immediately pulled out his phone and started tapping before slipping it into his pants with a disbelieving laugh.

Bruce simply rolled his eyes and ignored his eldest son, scanning the boy's information. He was a smart kid, that was obvious, but there didn't seem to be any kind of metagene present, so it wasn't superintelligence--

The distinct sound of boots clicking on the stairs pulled the Dark Knight away from his rabbit hole of data, making him glance at the newcomer. Jason had helmet hair and was currently running his hand through it with a snarky grin on his face. "Bat-son huh? What kind of cruel joke of the universe is that?" he asked, glancing at Dick before peering up at the screen over Bruce's shoulder.

It was nice to have Jason in the cave again- it'd been too long since he stepped foot in there for very long, and it was comforting to see him smirk- Bruce would take what he could get from the young man. Still, it wasn't enough to distract him from Billy and just how he was able to figure out that Titus was the Bat-Hound. Sure, it might just be childish imagination, connecting the themed collar and the dog, but it felt like more than that.

"Sir, might I remind you that you have unfinished League work?" Alfred said as Dick and Jason dispersed, walking back up the stairs towards the mansion. "Save this investigation of sorts for something that requires it. Billy isn't suspicious, he's a boy."

"You're right Alfred, you're always right, I just- there's something I can't shake. My gut tells me there's something- something off about him. Maybe I'm just paranoid. He's not Damien."

"Well, not every 10-year-old will turn out to be a fully trained assassin, Master Bruce."

"Yeah, I know..." Bruce closed the boy's file- he could look at it later. "I need to check on Captain Marvel anyways- if Billy's gone to bed then I'm going to take a trip to Fawcett," he said, standing up. Alfred nodded once, turning to walk towards the stairs as Bruce made his way further into the cave.

Unknownst to either of them, a small figure narrowed his eyes and escaped up the stairs silently.

\- - -

Billy sighed, sitting up on the bed and glancing towards the large window. The sun was finally disappearing over the horizon, spreading a golden light across the Gotham sky. Batman would probably set to work soon, now that he thought about it. 

The 10-year-old clambered up and walked over to the window, unlocking it and giving the aged glass a heave. It swung open, letting in a cool breeze that ruffled the boy's ebony hair. It'd only been two days since he left Fawcett, but he was already homesick. Not to mention the fact that he hadn't gotten the chance to do his rounds, and the thought of criminals taking advantage of his absence ruffled his feathers.

He climbed onto the window sill and looked around for cameras, finding one on each corner of the mansion, panning left and right slowly. None directly above him, thankfully, but those on the corners were still going to be hard to maneuver around and avoid, especially to be able to get far enough away to transform. He didn't really have a way down, either, unless he wanted to try jerry-rigging his bedsheets rapunzel-style--

"Running away already?"

The voice made BIlly's head whip back in a panic, his eyes wide as he stared at the source. Damien was standing in the doorway, Titus licking his boots happily. The 11-year-old stepped foot into the room, shutting the door behind him and leaning on it. His arms were crossed against his chest and an eyebrow raised as he stared at Billy.

"N-no I- I uh-"

Damien rolled his eyes. "Cut the act," he said, walking along the edge of the room and thumbing some of the items on the shelves. "You're smarter than you look, Batson."

Billy blinked, climbing down from the window. "What?" he asked, furrowing his brow. What was Damien talking about? He wasn't here to fight, was he? "I don't understand-"

"Titus," Damien said, glancing towards the large dog currently climbing back onto the bed. "You figured out that he's the Bat-Hound." a sliver of a smirk appeared on the boy's face. "Didn't think you would, honestly. But I've been wrong before."

Billy tensed, pressing himself up against the wall. "H-how- how do you-" Damien ignored him, reaching up on a shelf and grabbing a ceramic piece of abstract art. He palmed it, turning it over in his hands and tossing it into the air.

"Nanny cam," Damien said simply, tossing the piece into the air again and letting it hit the floor. It smashed to pieces, making Billy flinch instinctively. When he looked at it though, he saw a small black device with a blinking red light amongst the shards. "I underestimated you," Damien said, grabbing the camera and shoving his hands in his pockets. "I won't test you anymore."

"Wait are you- are you trying to apologize?" Billy asked, tilting his head slightly in question. Damien's lip curled up in a snarl before he ducked his head silently. A small smile came to the younger boy's face. "It's alright, Damien. You don't gotta say it. I forgive you."

Damien met his gaze, jade eyes meeting azure ones and staring intently. It felt like he was looking for something, maybe a lie of some sort, but when he found none, just sighed. "You're just like Jon..." he muttered, shaking his head and opening the bedroom door. He glanced back at Billy again, looking him up and down. "Go directly up and over the third window to the left. The camera has a blind spot there."

Billy blinked, swallowing thickly as a small smile appeared on his face.

"Just make sure you come back from wherever you're going, Batson," Damien said with a roll of his eyes as he grabbed the door handle and pulled it towards him.

"I'm not done with you yet."

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> give me your comments or I throw Billy off a cliff.


	8. Chapter 8

**"I'm not done with you yet."**

\- - -

Bruce revved the engine of the Batmobile before speeding out of the cave, the tires screeching as he slipped into Gotham's foggy night. He was tempted to pull up Billy's file and go over it again, but Alfred'swords stuck with him. Billy was just a kid- he had no reason to treat him like a convict. Instead, the man focused on Marvel, trying his communicator again.

No answer.

That alone sent Batman's mind into a flurry of thoughts, especially since the Captain was one of the more prompt members when it came to meetings and answering alerts. It was probably nothing- Flash missed meetings every once in a while, but he never checked up on the man in his own city.

So why was he keeping such a close eye on Captain Marvel? What made him special? Maybe it was the fact that he knew hardly anything about the man, and up until this point, had been able to find very very little on him throughout history. One lead that hadn't panned out was a man by the name of C.C., but since the guy died 7 years ago, he was off the table.

It was like Marvel didn't exist, and no amount of asking or prodding the demigod about his life would get him to open up. The most he knew about the man was that he lived in Fawcett city and had been working as a hero for about a year by this point. 

That was it- and it wasn't enough for the Dark Knight, who had much more information on everyone else in the League. 

The Batmobile hummed as he drove down the highway, lost in his own thoughts as Fawcett City came into view. It was a sharp contrast from Gotham; full of light and soft curves, a big difference to Gotham's well, _gothic_ architecture. He sped up, his nerves getting the better of him as he thought about just what could be so important that Marvel might go silent for a week.

He ended up parking the batmobile in an alley and grappling up to a roof for a better view. There weren't many tall buildings in Fawcett, not really many that went about the third floor, but he was high enough that if the demigod saw him, he'd be in plain sight, but if anyone looked up, they wouldn't spot a difference in the dark night and him.

He found it strange that no one showed up after five minutes of waiting, his eyes narrowed as he looked around. Marvel would know better than to avoid him, but from what he could tell the man just wasn't here.

For the first time, Bruce started to wonder if the man was even okay- He was a powerhouse, able to take on Superman and come out the victor 50% of the time, (which is part of the reason which made not knowing who he was so frustrating) so if he was somehow out of commission, there may be something bigger going on that the League needs to know about.

He decided to wait- Gotham would hold its breath while he was away, and Fawcett almost seemed to be doing the same.

\- - -

Billy stared at the closed door with a furrowed brow- did Damien just _help_ him? He glanced at Titus, who was quickly falling asleep amongst his covers and ran over to throw a blanket over top of the dog.

He ran back to the window and climbed onto the sill, perching himself on the white mantle before turning around and reaching for the top of the window. From there, Billy grabbed on and hoisted himself up, clambering onto the roof with a grunt. He turned over onto his back and smiled up at the stars, a small laugh bubbling up from his chest. He was actually doing this- he was doing this!

The 10-year-old moved along the edge slowly, counting the windows before hanging down from the roof and falling onto the balcony below. The window in the blind spot was closed and the room inside dark, but Billy still moved quietly. There was no telling who was inside there and if they might be asleep or not.

The boy managed to wrap himself around a drainage pipe and slide down to the ground, landing in the grass with a wince. After dusting the dirt from his pants and checking to make sure he hadn't pulled any stitches, he looked around and took off towards the vast expanse of gardens that surrounded the manor. 

He kept running until the manor was a ways away and he was sure that no camera would catch him on film before throwing his head back and shouting the wizard's name. Lightning came down from a cloudless sky, enveloping the boy and transforming him into a demigod. He took off into the skies without a second thought-- Fawcett was waiting for him after all.

Marvel came into view of his hometown after only a few minutes, silently thanking Mercury for his speed before switching gears and locking into work mode. He'd have to check up on Freddy before he went on patrol, especially since that kid (who was only a year older than him mind you) didn't know how to keep his head down when he needed to.

He started looking for the blonde-haired, crutch-wielding boy in his usual spots before something caught his eye- something that was much too dark to be lurking around Fawcett. Captain Marvel paused in the air, touching down on a rooftop and staring at another building, eyes narrowed in search. When he found nothing, he shook his head, intent on continuing his search-

Only to have a hand grab hold of his shoulder.

The bulky raven tensed on instinct, glancing back to find Batman staring at him. He blinked, opening his mouth to say something, only to have the Dark Knight dorp his hand and glare him into silence.

"Where have you been."

The words were framed like a question- but the tone said 'tell me what I want to know before I make you'. Cap swallowed, bringing a hand up to rub at the back of his neck. "Well, I uh-" he met the stoic man's gaze and quieted.

"I've just had some...some family issues."

_"Family Issues."_

Wait, why did Batman sound like he was questioning the believability of that? Sure, it was pretty well known that Cap wasn't the best liar, but this wasn't a complete lie! Everything that had happened with the Waynes really was family-related in a way.

"Yes, sir- I haven't really gotten the chance to check-in or anything..." he said slowly as Batman raised a brow. "But uh- it shouldn't be a problem anymore, sir."

"Make sure that it doesn't. Check-ins are mandatory for a reason. We need to know that our people are safe- keep that in mind," Batman said, his gaze softening slightly. "Good luck with your family issues."

It looked like there was something else that the prince of Gotham wanted to say, but he held himself back- his gaze hardened again as he turned around and started walking towards the edge of the roof. "I've sent notes of what you missed from the meeting to your communicator." The man paused on the edge of the roof, glancing back at the demigod. "Make sure you don't miss your shift tomorrow."

With that, he stepped off the edge, leaving Marvel to smakc his face with his palm. He'd completely forgotten about monitor duty- there was no way he'd be able to get out from under the noses of everybody in the manor!

Maybe Damien would be willing to help him?

He kinda doubted that- Damien still felt like touchy territory, and the window thing might have been a one-off.

Captain Marvel sighed, his shoulders drooping as he stepped into the air to continue his search for his oldest friend. Maybe he could just convince them that he wasn't feeling good and needed to stay in bed all day? That wouldn't stop Alfred from checking in on him though- he seemed like the kind of person to do that.

Plus, he was a terrible actor.

He didn't want to just bolt, either- sure, he'd thought about it at first, but he was really warming up to the Waynes. He liked spending time with Dick and Alfred, he liked talking to Jason, and even though he wasn't around much, Cap felt like he could learn a lot from Tim given the chance.

Not to mention Mr. Wayne himself- sure, he hadn't seen much of the man since being introduced, but it was still only his second day there and what he had seen of the man told him he genuinely wanted what was best for Billy. He couldn't say that happened too often to him.

Maybe he could- no, telling them was out of the question. They'd probably worry about him, or try and keep him from helping people because he was 'too young' or something. Not to mention Damien- there's no telling what kind of conflict that might start up if the kid learned Billy had actual powers.

No, Marvel would stay a secret, at least for now-

"Hey, Big Red Cheese!"

The voice threw him off guard, making the World's Mightiest Mortal glance down towards the streets. A blonde-haired kid with crutches was watching him with a large smile, waving him down. Cap smiled and landed, setting his hands on his hips. "Hey Fred," he said, glancing around. "This the place for this week?" 

"Nah- I got someplace _way_ better. Where have you been though? I haven't seen you since Sid chased you down Parkway street with a knife," Freddy said, tilting his head up at the hero. Cap leaned against a brick wall, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yeah, about that..."

"What'd you do?" Freddy asked sarcastically, a smirk on his face.

Marvel glanced around, making sure no one was within hearing distance. It was a normal sight to see Captain Marvel on the street talking to people- he liked interacting with the people of Fawcett, and they seemed to appreciate his authenticity in return- but talking about this would connect Billy and Cap too much for his liking.

"I kinda got...adopted? Sorta?" he said, rubbing the back of his head. Freddy's eyes widened, his jaw dropping slightly.

"You!?"

"Yeah..."

Freddy barked a laugh, running a hand through his hair before shaking his head. "Well, you gonna run?" he asked, his smile shrinking as he met the demigod's eyes. Cap stayed quiet, making Freddy's eyebrows furrow. "Bill, you- you're the one that's been against foster homes since day one," he said, anger seeping into his voice.

"What, so now that you found someplace cushy you're gonna abandon me?" Freddy asked angrily, gripping his crutches tightly. Captain Marvel opened his mouth to speak, only for Freddy to interrupt him. "Whatever. Guess its fate or something. I got a foster place too," he grumbled, looking away.

"They said they'd take you in too, but it looks like you're doin' just fine..."

"Freddy, I-"

"Don't. You of all people know I hate pity, B. If you got a place, good for ya. I'll see you around," the blonde said, turning around and hobbling off. Cap was tempted to stop him, it wouldn't be hard, but he knew that more than anything Freddy hated being told what he could and couldn't do. He was a free spirit, and if he made his mind up about something, it wasn't going to change.

Thankfully, he also didn't hold grudges- so he'd be better in a week.

Cap sighed, flying off to actually start his rounds- likely no one would be causing too much trouble, but it was still good for him to check. 

\- - -

"Damien?" Dick called out, looking around the cave. He'd been looking for the kid for the past five minutes and hadn't seen hide nor hair of him. That is, until the chair in front of the Bat Computer swiveled around to face him.

"What, Grayson? I'm busy here."

Dick rolled his eyes. "Mind explaining why I just watched Billy scale down the side of the mansion on a drain pipe from my room?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Damien smirked, crossing his own arms as he leaned back in the chair.

"Billy still haas stitches in his side, Damien- too much stuff like that and he could rip them open! Why'd you tell him about the blind spot in the cameras? If Bruce finds him gone-"

"Father's in Fawcett City right now, Grayson. That's a 20 to 30 minute drive in the Batmobile."

"Regardless, you shouldn't be showing him where he can sneak out! I get that he comes from a different background, but this place isn't Fawcett. He could get seriously hurt in Gotham," Dick said, staring the 11-year-old down.

"Excuse me for testing a theory," Damien said, rolling his eyes.

"Billy's not an experiment for you to run!"

Damien stayed quiet, staring at Dick with an unimpressed look in his eyes. "There's something he's hiding, Dick. Father told me to follow my instinct on things like this, so I'm-"

"Bruce told you to follow your instincts when it came to criminals, D! Not _family!"_ Dick said, throwing his hands up before running a hand through his hair. "He took off into the gardens. Maybe if I go after him now I can find him," he shook his head and turned to head further into the cave and suit up.

"Right, 'cause that's not suspicious," Damien grumbled. "Nightwing coming after a random child, the picture of _not_ suspicious."

"Fine- then you go after him," Dick said, stopping in his tracks and looking back at the boy.

"And ruin my experiment? Not likely. I need to be here for when he comes back. I'm seeing just how agile he is."

Dick pinched the bridge of his nose. "You don't even know if he'll make it back- you know what? Go after him, or I'm telling Bruce about Alfred the Cat's enhancements." Damien tensed, a glare settling on the older raven.

"You wouldn't."

"I will. Go get Billy, _Robin_."

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have Billy dangling off the edge of a cliff as we speak. Comment or the boy gets dropped!
> 
> ALSO YALL DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT'S COMINGGGGG AAAAAAA


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get tricky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really glad you guys are enjoying this- it's been really fun to write so far.

**"You wouldn't."**

**"I will. Go get Billy, _Robin_."**

\- - -

This whole thing was entirely unfair. Damien hadn't _forced_ Billy to leave the mansion. He'd only given the boy a route in which to follow if he didn't want his presence on the cameras.

He _knew_ he was hiding something- Billy was almost _too_ normal to not be hiding something. Plus, the way he'd gone down that pipe told Damien that this wasn't the first time he'd done it.

Not to mention Batson's stitches- any normal child would be whining about them and trying to stay in bed, but Billy- Billy was weird.

He rolled his eyes and pushed the thoughts from his mind as he pulled on his tactical gloves, making use of his new motorcycle and leaving the Batcave with a roar of the motor. Billy couldn't have gotten that far- it'd only been about 15 minutes since he left. He was probably exploring Gotham, and this entire expedition would be for nothing.

Robin turned a sharp corner, eyes peeled for a scrawny boy with a head of messy black hair.

Instead, he found a pair of annoying thugs, cornering an elderly man and holding him at gunpoint. His motorcycle skid to a stop and he glared the men down, a sneer on his face. "Tt- _amateurs_," he said, watching as the men turned their pistols on him. Robin only rolled his eyes, climbing off his bike. "Really?"

"Wait- that- that's that Robin kid- Shit, dude we gotta get out of here, Batman might be-"

The man was unconscious in moments, a well-placed kick to the head from the boy making sure of that. Robin landed on the ground and glanced towards the second man with a smirk. _"Batman's_ not who you should be worried about," he said, flipping out of the way as the man let loose with his gun.

He managed to get over the top of the bulky man and land on his shoulders, wrapping his legs around the thug's neck and using the momentum of his stumbling to drive him into a brick wall. Robin lept off his shoulders as he sagged, a soft moan coming from the man as he slipped into unconsciousness.

"Pathetic," the raven muttered, shaking his head and pulling out a cord to tie them up with.

He left them like that, hopping on his bike and skidding out of the alley to continue his search.

That search ended up taking much longer than he'd anticipated- he'd been searching for thirty minutes already and hadn't seen hide or hair of Billy. He decided to head back to the mansion and search the gardens for some kind of clue as to where he'd gone. The lights of buildings glinted off his bike as he sped up, tires screeching to a halt as he stopped just outside of the vast gardens belonging to Wayne Manor.

Robin shot a grapple up towards a tree, using it to swing over the hedge wall and land softly on the grass. There he found a definitive path that Billy had walked, with tracks padding down the grass and everything. He followed them through some trees and around a flower bush before coming to a stop. 

Nightwing was standing in the clearing, a hand to his face as he stared at a patch of burnt grass. Billy's tracks vanished here, leaving Robin to look around. "What are you doing here, Nightwing," he said off-handedly, searching for any kind of trail to pick up on.

"Got worried- you took way too long."

Damien rolled his eyes. "There are no other trails, I already checked," Nightwing continued, squatting down and looking at the singed grass closer. "So weird..."

"What is it?" Robin asked, walking back over to Nightwing. Dick shook his head, wiping his fingers through the blackened dirt. "No clue... it's not fire, otherwise, there'd be no grass at all..." he trailed off, looking around before training his eyes back on the burnt patch.

"Look at the trees- some of them have a stripe in the bark where it's been stripped away," Dick said, standing up and putting his hands on his hips.

"What does that mean?" Robin asked with an unimpressed eyebrow. 

"Well, usually its an indicator of lightning."

"Grayson, there's not a cloud in the sky and there hasn't been one all night."

Dick nodded slowly. "That's what's so strange about it. Billy's tracks stop here, right where this weird burnt patch is," he said, pulling a small glass tube from his utility belt.

"Could it be some kind of gun? Something that harnesses lightning and can redirect it," Robin offered, watching as the taller male bent down and gathered a sample of the dirt. Dick nodded slowly, capping the glass tube and putting it away.

"It's a possibility, but like I said, there are no other tracks around here."

Robin glanced around, noticing bright green leaves resting on the ground around them. "Either there's a blight, or something was strong enough to blow living leaves off these trees," he said, looking around. 

"Helicopter? It'd explain the lack of tracks."

"Maybe."

"You don't think that...that BIlly could have been taken, do you?" Nightwing asked, glancing worriedly at his little brother. "I mean, I know it's unlikely but..."

"He's not even in the public eye yet. No one knows he's a part of the household," Robin replied, crossing his arms. "So if he was, it makes me even more suspicious of him." he grumbled, kicking a small rock.

"Only you could be suspicious of someone possibly getting kidnapped," Nightwing replied, shaking his head. "I'll keep an eye out for him, you take this back to the cave and scan it," He said, handing the 11-year-old the vial of blackened dirt.

"What? No, get Drake to do it! I was-"

"Is Tim here? No. Go, Robin. This is serious." Dick interrupted him, shoving the vial into his chest. Damien grabbed it with a glare, his chest puffing out. _"Go,"_ Dick said again, pointing towards the mansion.

The boy grumbled to himself, leaving with a dramatic swish of his cape and heading back towards his motorcycle. This was even more unfair. Leave Grayson to ruin the modicum of fun he got from being out in the streets looking for Billy- now he was going to be stuck at the Bat Computer, running tests on _dirt_.

Still, part of him, a small, minuscule part, really-- was worried for Billy. He may not see him as family, but he was still a civilian, and Damien was still a hero- yeah, that was it, it was because he was a hero that he was worried.

"You better be okay, Batson," he grumbled to himself, climbing onto his bike and heading for the entrance to the cave.

\- - -

Captain Marvel found himself stopping two different muggings and a robbery attempt- a lot for one night. Still, it was all things fairly simple and that he could handle. It felt good to be able to help people- it was something he never got tired of. 

He wasn't sure what time it was as he soared over the top of Fawcett City, but he knew that the moon was high in the sky. It'd been a while since Batman left, Cap being able to see the Batmobile speeding out of town, but the conversation had left him thinking.

He still wasn't sure what he was supposed to do about the Waynes, or how he was supposed to go in for monitor duty tomorrow, but he was sure he'd find a way. For now, though, he needed to finish up patrol and get back to Wayne Manor before anyone besides Damien knew he was gone.

All in all, he managed to get back to Gotham fairly quickly. The city was gloomy as ever, and made the Captain almost dread being there, but it was something he could deal with. Something he could not deal with, however, was the sounds of a mugging happening right below him as he flew over an alley. A woman's scream sent him into action, flying down and landing between her and a gangly man in a trenchcoat.

He aimed a pistol between Captain Marvel's eyes, making the man simply raise an unimpressed eyebrow. "That won't work on me, but by all means, try," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. The man fired his gun and the bullet bounced off his forehead harmlessly.

"My turn," Cap said with a smirk, uncrossing his arms and coiling his hand into a fist. He uppercutting the guy lightly (well, lightly for him) and made the man stumble backward. He picked up the gun the mugger dropped and crushed it between his hands before leveling his gaze on the mugger.

_"Go,"_ he said with a glare, sending the man (who now had a sizeable bruise on his jaw) running.

"You okay ma'am-" he turned to look at the woman, only to find her gone. "You're welcome I guess," he said with a roll of his eyes as he shot back up into the air. He needed to get back to the mansion- the last thing he needed was running into Batman in Gotham. 

The Dark Knight had a strict 'No Metas' rule about Gotham, with the only occasional exception being when the League or Superman was involved. Cap had actually only been to Gotham one other time, and it was when he, Lantern, Batman, and Jo'nn had been taking down a horde of undead.

He was lost in his own thoughts now, and barely registered someone saying his name until a thick black cord was wrapped around him and pulling him towards a building top. Dread filled the Captain's eyes as he glanced back, his fear quelling when he realized it wasn't Batman that had a hold of him.

Nightwing pulled him down so that his golden boots were touching the gravel of the rooftop before uncoiling him. "Cap? What are you doing in Gotham? You know how mad Bats'll be if he catches you here."

Cap rubbed the back of his head, chuckling nervously. "Yeah- yeah I remember- wait, he's not here with you, is he-" he asked, looking around as panic seized him for a moment. 

Nightwing shook his head. "No, no, it's just me... I'm looking for someone. But what are you doing here?"

Cap realized he hadn't really come up with anything to say if he was caught in Gotham, and paused. He opened his mouth to say something, only to snap it shut. Why wasn't Solomon contributing anything!? "I, uh, well I..." he swallowed thickly. Nightwing shook his head.

"Look, don't worry about it, I gotta keep looking for someone. Just- just don't let Batman catch you here, alright?" the lanky raven said, holding out his hand for Cap to pound. The demigod nodded, fist-bumping the acrobat.

"Who're you looking for? Maybe I could help?" he suggested, despite the risk. He might have really needed to get back and _really_ needed to not get caught in this city, but if someone was in danger, he couldn't just _not_ offer his assistance.

"Sorry, big guy, not this time. I'm...I'm looking for my little brother. Secret identities and all, you know?" Nightwing replied, giving the demigod a worried smile. Cap nodded in response, eyes wide as he scratched at the back of his head.

"Right, sorry, didn't mean to uh- yeah. I'll just...go. Th-thanks, Nightwing," he said, giving the young man a grin before taking off into the clouds.

He stayed there for a few minutes, gathering his thoughts. He hadn't realized Nightwing _had_ a brother- maybe he was talking about Robin? He could see those two being related. Cap shook his head of those thoughts and looked around in an attempt to find the mansion's vast expanse of gardens. He lit up when he spotted them, tapping into Mercury's speed to . race towards them and land where he'd first taken off.

"Oh yikes... looks like I burnt the grass," he commented to himself, kneeling down to run his fingers over the blackened earth. It returned to its bright green and lively state, making the demigod smile. "There we go, all better. Persephone would have my hide if I didn't fix a mistake like that," he said before glancing around. 

He'd always been paranoid when it came to transforming in a new place- you never knew who had eyes on you or where they could be coming from. He didn't sense anyone though, other than a large man with a dog on a leash walking about a block away.

Captain Marvel spread his feet and threw his head back, watching the night sky above him before breathing his word of magic. 

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact; that is actually what happens to trees when they get struck by lightning :) They can get this little stripe of stripped bark on their trunks!
> 
> Also, comment or I'll eat my shoe.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy, here we go.

**Captain Marvel spread his feet and threw his head back, watching the night sky above him before breathing his word of magic. **

**\- - -**

Damien hated waiting. He let out a sigh and leaned back in the large chair in front of the Bat-Computer, glancing at the giant penny and groaning. For some reason, the Bat-Computer was having a hard time reading the sample, coming up with various things before ultimately starting the scanning process over again. This was the third time the supercomputer had re-done the scan, and Damien was over it.

"I should have just done this myself," he muttered, glancing towards the screen as the scan finished. 

He sat up eagerly, looking over the data that flitted across the screen in front of him. The 11-year-old's eyebrows drew together though at the appearance of a single word before his mood soured completely and a scowl appeared on his face.

"Great. _Magic."_

"What's magic?"

The voice came from the top of the stairs, from someone that was hardly ever in the cave. "Todd. Why are you down here?" he asked, spinning around in the large seat.

Jason raised an unimpressed eyebrow towards the kid before glancing up at the large screen. "Magic dirt? What the hell are you researching?" he asked, glancing back down at the angry raven.

"I'm not telling you anything until _you_ tell _me_ why you're in the Batcave," Damien countered, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Wow, _relax_, munchkin. Dick texted me and asked me to check on 'the results' from you. Says you're not answering your phone," Jason said with a roll of his eyes. "So explain to me what's going on."

"Tt- Billy ran off and now we can't find him. I have to run samples of this burnt dirt we found in the garden while he continues looking for Batson in the city," Damien said, turning around. "Turns out the dirt is magic or something."

"Or it's been infused with it," Jason offered flatly, combing over the data on the screen. His hands had curled into fists, Damien noticed, and he was much tenser than he had been a few seconds ago. "Right- I'm going to look for him then."

"I'm sure Grayson has it cov-"

"I said _I'm going to look for Billy." _Jason growled.

Damien rolled his eyes, shutting his mouth and turning his attention back on the screen. "Whatever."

What was so special about Batson? He was a civilian, sure, but- Damien wasn't sure what it was about the 10-year-old that drew everyone to him. Billy was like a positivity magnet-- in the two days he'd been there he'd already managed to get Grayson and Todd wrapped around his finger, even if he didn't know it. 

"Doesn't make sense..." he muttered to himself, his voice echoing through the large chamber. "He's nothing special, so why are they going crazy over him?"

"Perhaps it's because he's polite and kind?" Alfred said from the doorway, walking down the stairs into the Batcave. "Billy's...sunny, in a way. That's not something that you see very often in the people of Gotham. He's a polite boy, and doesn't threaten his brothers, Damien," he continued, stopping to stand just over the boy's shoulder.

"He also goes to bed on time-- hold on, what's all this?" he asked, furrowing his brow at the data. "Why are you looking at soil samples?"

Damien tensed. Alfred would have his hide if he knew he helped Billy get out of the house and pretty much was the root of the boy vanishing. "Nothing. I've taken an interest in mystic arts is all."

Alfred gave him an unimpressed look. "Not one of your better lies, Master Damien."

The youngest Wayne sighed, leaning back in the chair. "Billy ran off and Grayson thinks he was kidnapped..." he muttered. "He and Todd are out looking for him right now." Alfred's eyes widened as he glanced back towards the stairs.

"I just- I just checked on him, there was a lump in his bed that-"

"Probably Titus."

Alfred clutched his chest, looking up at the computer with worry in his eyes. "I'm calling Master Bruce." Damien tensed, chewing on his bottom lip. Father would not be happy when he heard about this.

Before Alfred could pull out a phone, however, the Batmobile screeched into the cave and the driver's door opened. Batman stepped out, closing the car door and glancing between the two standing in front of the computer. "What's going on here?" he asked, looking towards the computer screen. "Magic-enfused soil?"

Alfred sighed, his back straightening slightly. "Sir, there's been a problem," he said, his face the picture of thought. Batman furrowed his brow at the aging butler but stayed quiet. "Billy's gone missing."

Bruce froze.

"What...?"

"He snuck out through the gardens... this dirt is from there. Grayson and Todd are out looking for him now, but we have a running theory that he might have been taken and that it has something to do with magic," Damien recited, getting a hard stare from his father.

"How did he 'sneak out', Damien?"

The boy averted his gaze. "I showed him how."

Batman took in a deep breath before turning and walking up the stairs towards the mansion in full uniform. "Sir, where are you going?" Alfred asked, but the Dark Knight ignored him.

\- - -

Bruce was _panicking_. It wasn't something that he did a lot, especially since he could always find a way to control a situation he was in, but when it came to one of his kids his reasoning went out the window. Wait, did he already think of Billy as one of his kids? 

Save that thought for later. For now, he needed to get up to Billy's room and check for--

He paused at the sound of movement, head whipping towards a sound coming from the kitchen. Batman stalked closer to it, pressing himself against the wall and grabbing hold of a Batarang. This had better be Tim, or Bruce was not going to be holding back.

He could hear the fridge close, and Bruce stepped into the doorway to glare at whoever was in the kitchen.

His large frame cast a shadow on the figure, his Batarang still poised for throwing before he suddenly turned on the light and regretting even coming upstairs. Billy was standing there, a cup of water in his hands, staring wide-eyed at Batman like he was about to be taken out back and shot.

"B- bat- bat-" Billy stammered, his frame trembling as he stared up at the Dark Knight. Yeah, Bruce was really regretting not taking off his uniform first. "B-Batman-" the kid continued, nearly dropping his glass of water. The 10-year-old haad pressed himself firmly up against the fridge, his small knuckles white from holding the glass so tightly. 

The poor kid looked like he was going to cry- maybe Bruce should put the Batarang down.

He slipped it under his cape and put his hands out placatingly. "It's alright, calm down," he said slowly, lowering his voice as he crouched down. His suit was never meant to scare kids, but sometimes it happened- he'd learned how to deal with it when it did. "I'm not gonna hurt ya."

Billy was still staring at him with wide eyes and trembling. His gaze flicked towards one of the two entrances to the kitchen and Bruce could almost see the cogs turning inside the kid's mind and wondering if he could outrun Batman. His eyes trailed back towards the Dark Knight and paused over his shoulder, his breathing growing erratic.

Bruce glanced back to find Jason standing in the door, a gun in one hand and un full uniform. He winced silently, opening his mouth to explain when Jason pulled off his helmet and let it clatter to the floor. The young man swooped Billy up into his arms and held him, the boy's fear turning to confusion before he clung to Jason like as lifeline.

It made no sense, Jason and Billy hadn't spent but a few minutes together from what he'd gathered, and the larger of the two was hardly ever this affectionate.

"It's alright, squirt, 's just me. I asked Batman to come help me look for ya. You scared the shit out of us," Jason said as he held the 10-year-old tightly, the small boy's face buried in Jason's leather jacket.

Billy stayed quiet and Bruce rose from his place on the ground. Alfred and Damien joined them a few moments later, the latter's eyes narrowing into a scowl. "How did you-" Jason pulled out a pistol and aimed it at the child, effectively shutting him up for now.

"Master Billy, are you alright?" Alfred asked, pushing past Bruce to get closer to the boy. He tried looking him over, but Jason had a tight hold of him and Billy wasn't fighting said hold. "What happened? Damien said you took off."

Billy was quiet for a moment before glancing at Batman and averting his gaze. "I- I just wanted to go outside..." he mumbled. "Why- why-" he pulled back, looking up at Jason. "Why are you wearing that weird helmet?" he asked as if suddenly remembering who was holding him. "And how do you know _Batman?"_

The 10-year-old's eyes were confused and untrusting, but Jason was still clinging to Billy like the kid would melt if he let go. "I uh-" Jason paused, just coming to grips with what he did. "Well, you know Bruce funds the Justice League, right?" he said, getting a weird look from Batman. Billy nodded, watching Jason closely.

"Well, I called Batman cause we were majorly worried about you, squirt. You were gone for a while according to Dick," Jason said, his voice softening. Billy thought for a moment, glancing towards the Dark Knight nervously. "He's not gonna hurt ya kid."

The kid mumbled something, making Jason hold him slightly tighter. "Not yet..."

"Why don't we go upstairs and call Grayson? Asshole's probably still looking for you out in the city. He stole Bruce's car and everything," Jason suggested, Billy nodding in response with a hint of a smile.

"Wait, where is Mr. Wayne?" he asked, eyebrows furrowing. "I haven't seen him all day."

"Oh uh, he got caught up at the company is all. Trust me kid, you'll get used to it," Jason said, glancing towards Bruce before leaving with the kid in his arms. He wasn't sure why this protective urge came over him when he heard the kid was missing, or why he'd revealed himself to him, but something pulled him to Billy.

Maybe it was cause they both started out as street rats, maybe it was cause he saw a bit of himself in the kid, hell, maybe it was cause the kid was so damn sunny that he didn't want Gotham to smother that- he wasn't sure.

What he was sure of was that Billy was more than happy to cling to him like a koala, and for once, Jason was 100% okay with the contact. The 10-year-old was like a space heater, despite his trembling, and he could tell Bruce had freaked him out. 

Jason took Billy to his room, turning on a lamp and sitting on the edge of the bed. "So why'd you take off? Me and Grayson have been all over Gotham lookin' for you," he said, tilting his head slightly. "I mean, I get it, this place is a huge adjustment and maybe you need some time to yourself, but..." he trailed off, meeting the kid's eyes.

"Gotham's no place for a Fawcett boy like you," he said with a smirk, getting a sour look from the boy.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Billy asked, getting defensive. He pulled back from Jason slightly to glare at him with a smirk. "I'm perfectly capable of handling myself on the streets, thank you very much. No one was supposed to even know I was gone..." he muttered, his gaze falling.

Jason took it in his stride. "I got no doubt that in _Fawcett_ you can handle yourself, squirt," he said, pulling the boy's chin up gently so that he'd look in his eyes. "But _Gotham_ isn't Fawcett. It's more dangerous than what you're used to. You guys got that big red guy protectin' you and that's fine, but Gotham's a whole different breed."

Billy glanced away again- he looked like he had something on his mind. He looked like he wanted to argue, but held himself back. "Why don't we call Grayson and tell him you're okay before he turns Gotham upside down lookin' for ya?"

The boy nodded, a small smile gracing his face. "Alright," he said with an affirmative nod.

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so before anyone yells at me, I think that Red Hood and Cap wouldn't have crossed paths at any point because Jason doesn't really affiliate with the League and he's more of an antihero than anything. So Billy probably would never have heard of Red Hood and who's gonna assume that a person they know is a superhero? That helmet could just be a motorcycle helmet.
> 
> Also- for how he spoke, I'm sorry, I've never paid attention much to Jason as red hood except for when Jenson Ackles voiced him, soooo I pretty much just wrote Dean in this chapter.
> 
> Now to beg for Comments. *deep breath* I-


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY SECOND DAY OF HALLOWEEN GUYS! 
> 
> Be prepared, cause over on LOBB (Life of Billy Batson) part 2, I'm gonna start writing some Halloween-themed chapters and i'll be asking for prompts from you guys along the way! :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another doozy kiddos, here we go :)
> 
> Also, before any Jason Todd stans come to cut off my fingers, I know his white streak probably has nothing to do with what I'm using it for and such, (since it first showed up in Hush and I think the writers just liked the look or something) but just go with it, this is all for fun.
> 
> Please don't hurt me.

**The boy nodded, a small smile gracing his face. "Alright," he said with an affirmative nod.**

\- - -

Billy stayed in Jason's lap as he pulled out his cell phone, staying quiet while he dialed Dick's number. His thoughts returned to Batman who was probably still downstairs, and he shuddered. Terror had gripped him in that moment, his mind running a million miles an hour with the fear that Batman had not only found him out but was about to put an end to him. 

It was strange to see such a sudden shift from the Dark Knight that he was used to seeing in meetings and out in the field to a soft yet stern man underneath. It wasn't something he'd been expecting, but it'd been something that made him want to run.

Jason coming in with his weird motorcycle helmet and scooping him up had been the only thing keeping the boy from panicking, so he was thankful to the man for that. He'd kept Billy close to him, something he appreciated more than he could say, and hadn't left his side in the past 15 minutes. 

He rolled his eyes and let out a grunt when Dick didn't answer for the third time, pocketing his phone and a shake of his head. "Bastard won't pick up," he muttered. "It's fine, not like I know how to deal with this kind of thing, but it's _fine_," he said frustratedly. Billy felt slightly guilty, lowering his gaze and thumbing the hem of his shirt.

"Sorry, kid, I'm just not good at this kind of thing," Jason said, leaning back on his arms and glancing off. "Haven't been for a while now."

Billy felt bad for the guy- obviously, something happened to him, and the kid could tell it bothered Jason, even if he wasn't the kind of guy to let it show on the surface. If he thought about it, that made him and Billy even more alike. Neither were very likely to talk about their problems, better to let them simmer than complain and have the possibility of a foster parent beating you for it.

"Well.." Billy said, chewing on his bottom lip for a moment before continuing. "I think you're doing good..." he mumbled. Jason glanced back at him, a hint of a smirk on his face. "You wanna talk about it?" he asked, making Jason's small smirk vanish.

A haunted look came to the man's eyes, and he ran a hand through his black and white hair. "Does... does it have to do with your white hair?" Billy asked slowly. Maybe he wouldn't get the whole story, but he knew that confiding to someone could help a lot. Freddy had done that for him countless times, maybe he could do it for Jason.

"Yeah, squirt, I guess it does," Jason said, his voice low. He let his head fall back, staring at the ceiling as Billy scooted off his lap to sit beside him. "But I don't think you're ready for that story yet," he said, and the 10yeaar-old could see him stuffing his pain down as he ruffled Billy's hair. 

The boy watched him with worry, swallowing thickly and nodding. "So..." Jason said, glancing at him as he laid back on the bed and used his arms as a pillow. "Wanna explain why you took off? All I know is that the demon brat showed you how to avoid the cameras- which I don't understand by the way- but I don't know the why."

Billy shrugged- what was he supposed to say? A distinct thrumming pain echoing in his head that he'd come to associate with Solomon's distaste in a situation was really the only thing keeping him from telling Jason who he really was. Well, that, and the fear of what he or Batman might do if they knew who he was.

Speaking of Batman...

"Wait, so you _really_ know Batman?" he asked. It'd be a bit of a problem if Batman had access to the manor and/or was close enough with one of its residents to be called just to look for some kid.

Jason snorted. "More than you know, kid..." he muttered before meeting Billy's bright blue eyes. "But don't try and change the subject here- what is it? You don't like this place or something?" Coming from anyone else, the question might have sounded sarcastic or judgemental, but coming from Jason it sounded genuine. It sounded like he really wanted to know.

"No, I- I like it here..." Billy said slowly, playing with the hem of his shirt again. "It's safe and dry and there's plenty of food like you said," it felt like he was almost reassuring himself more than Jason. "I guess I just- needed some time alone, you know?"

The elder raven nodded slowly, looking back up at the ceiling. "Alright kid, well, whenever you feel comfortable telling me the real reason, I'll be here."

Billy blinked- he knew he wasn't that good of a liar, but he thought he was at least good enough to tell something small like that. Or was it that Jason was just really good at reading him already?

"You wanna know the real reason I know Batman?" Jason asked suddenly, still staring up at the ceiling. A smirk appeared on his face as he glanced at Billy. The boy laid down and nodded, watching him closely. So it wasn't through Mr. Wayne and his company? There wasn't a lot of other options.

"Ever heard of the Red Hood?" he asked, to which Billy shook his head with a furrowed brow. Something in the back of his mind told him that the name was familiar, but Billy couldn't ever remember hearing it before. "Well, he's...kind of a good guy, kind of a bad guy. Stops the bad guys, but he kinda stoops to their level to do it..." he trailed off.

Billy watched him, watching his eyes as he spoke. Jason carried a lot more pain than Billy first thought- he could practically radiate it if he wanted to. "Well, I'm him." Jason glanced towards the kid. "That weird motorcycle helmet? my uniform. Like Deathstroke or somethin'," he continued, making the boy's eyes widen.

So Jason knew Batman...

...cause he'd WORKED WITH HIM.

"You- you're a _hero_," Billy said, a small smile appearing on his face. Jason made a face. "You are! You're a hero and you worked with Batman!" he said excitedly, sitting up. This could be it, maybe he could tell the Waynes after all! If they were fine with Jason working with Batman, maybe he-

Solomon's screaming brought him back to reality. Jason was in his twenties...and Billy was 10. Jason was an adult, even if he still lived in the Manor... he could do whatever he wanted. Billy paused, furrowing his brow as Jason watched him freeze up with a raised eyebrow.

He seemed to misunderstand his sudden freezing, as he started nodding his head. "Yeah... not a hero, kid. I've killed a lot of people," he said, his words heavy as he turned his eyes back up towards the ceiling.

"An anti-hero then," Billy said simply, laying back down on the soft comforter. His head ended up in Jason's armpit, but neither moved. The elder of the two raised an eyebrow again.

"A what?"

Billy grinned. "An anti-hero. It's like- part hero, part villain, in a way. They're good guys, but either only when it helps them out or whenever something's super serious," Billy explained, snuggling against Jason's side with a small yawn. He felt like that explained Jason very well- he was rough, sure, but it was obvious he had a soft side to him, and that he was a good guy at heart.

"Hm, alright then, if that's what you're goin' with," Jason said, glancing down at the kid. "You know you can't tell anyone, right?" he asked, and Billy nodded slowly. He yawned again, making Jason shake his head. 

"Does everyone know...?" Billy asked softly, his eyelids drooping slightly. Jason was really warm and really cozy. The larger of the two nodded.

"Yeah, yeah they know."

"Good."

"Why's that good?"

Billy yawned widely, shutting his eyes. "Cause no one should have to keep a secret like that to themselves..." he mumbled.

"Trust me."

Jason furrowed his brow, opening his mouth to question just what that was supposed to mean when he saw the kid already asleep. "you're a strange one, squirt..." he muttered, laying back on the bed and shutting his own eyes. It wasn't like he could move, after all.

No way in Hell was he gonna wake Billy up.

\- - -

Bruce was sitting in front of the computer contemplating when Dick finally showed up. The young man looked ragged, walking into the cave just past 4 in the morning. "Finally looked at your phone then," Bruce said, raising a brow at Dick. The lanky raven gave him a look, running a hand through his hair.

"Is he okay?" he asked worriedly.

Bruce nodded once, turning around in his chair. "He's asleep upstairs with Jason. Alfred checked on them before he went to bed," he replied. Diick furrowed his brow at him, glancing towards the stairs that led up towards the mansion.

"Something's off Bats, I can tell. What's wrong?" he asked, leaning against the console. "He's safe, right?" he asked as Bruce folded his hands leaned forward on the arm rests.

"He's okay, yeah," he said, staring up at the blank screen. 

"Then what's wrong?"

Bruce pulled off his cowl, tussling his hair before looking Dick in the eyes. "He's scared of Batman."

Dick's eyebrows furrowed further. "I don't understand."

The billionaire sighed, resting his arms and meeting his eldest son's eyes. "I went up in a rush looking for him and found him in the kitchen. I was in uniform and Billy-" he paused. "Billy looked like he thought I was going to shoot him or something."

"That doesn't make any sense, Bruce- he idolizes superheroes, I could see it whenever we were in the comic shop."

The man shook his head slowly. "I don't know. What I do know is that he's terrified of me and there was nothing I could do to quell that fear." He sat back in his chair again. "Jason scooped him up and took him upstairs and I came down here..."

"Wait, _Jaybird_ calmed him down?" Dick asked, a small smile appearing on his face. "That softie... I knew he'd stick to Billy like glue."

"Dick, pay attention."

"Right- sorry, Bats."

"I can't tell him I'm Batman, not if there's a possibility this magic dirt is connected to him somehow," Bruce continued, shaking his head slightly.

"So you have no idea how he got back?"

Bruce shook his head. "Didn't have a scratch on him, and he was acting like his stitches didn't bother him at all," Bruce replied, glancing towards the computer. "I think he's a meta...or something of the sort. Not sure how he'd know about it, but I think he's scared of me because of the no metas rule for Gotham."

Dick furrowed his brow further. "Don't you think we'd have seen if he could do something by now though? Usually, young metas are, well, kinda unstable, you know?"

Bruce nodded slowly, resting on his arms again. "I think we already have- Billy's agile for his age, and especially for being only a day or two out of the hospital. Alfred hasn't gotten a chance to look at them yet because Billy always manages to get out of it." He sighed. "Not to mention the fact that he was able to live on the streets for two whole years and look only relatively scrawny."

"So, what, you think he can heal himself or something?" Dick asked, tilting his head slightly.

Bruce made a face that told the younger that he wasn't wrong, but he wasn't quite right, either.

"I think he can do magic."

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me, trying to give Billy equal time with everyone to bond and such: ;-;
> 
>   
Also, comment or I'll find some way to torture Billy that involves an egg, my left shoe, a water hose, and a picture of a cat.
> 
> FUN FACT: re-wrote this ENTIRE chapter, T W I C E cause I didn't like how it was unfolding-- IDK if I'll post those drafts, but yeah.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanna know what's funny? We've legit only covered like, 3-4 days worth of time in this fic so far.
> 
> I think that's funny at least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have I ever told you guys just how much I appreciate your comments? Like seriously, you guys are amazing. I love that you guys are theorizing about what's gonna happen, who could find out what first, all sorts of great stuff- and it's really funny cause alotof things people have said I actually already have planned.
> 
> But thank you guys so much, seriously. You guys make this worth writing.
> 
> ALSO- yall want both chapters today or wanna wait til tomorrow?

**"I think he can do magic."**

\- - -

Billy woke up to sunlight streaming through the windows- Alfred must have opened them he thought, opening his eyes with a small yawn. The 10-year-old found himself alone as he sat up and rubbed at his eye drowsily. Jason must have gone a while ago if the cold spot where he used to be was anything to go by.

The boy clambered off his bed and wiggled his upper half under the bed, grabbing his communicator and checking the time. He was scheduled for monitor duty in about 20 minutes, so he didn't have a lot of time to think of a way to get to the Watchtower without alerting the Waynes.

The boy pocketed his communicator before coming back out from under the bed, his head popping up over the comforter as the bedroom door creaked open. Mr. Wayne was the last person he'd been expecting, but there he was, one hand on the door handle and the other in his suit pocket. "Morning Billy," he said with a small, toothless smile.

Billy grinned back, climbing up onto the bed. "Morning, Mr. Wayne," he replied, tilting his head slightly. "Where's Mr. Alfred?"

"He's downstairs- I just thought I'd come up here and talk with you real quick," Mr. Wayne replied, leaning on the doorway slightly.

Billy blinked- right... Mr. Wayne was probably going to want an explanation for last night. What all had they told him? Did Jason explain? Did Mr. Wayne know that Batman was there last night!?

The billionaire cleared his throat, walking into the room and sitting down beside Billy. The boy shifted, trying to hide the slight bulge in his pocket. "What- um, what did you wanna talk about?" he asked nervously, to which the older man raised an eyebrow with a small grin.

"I'm sure you're smart enough to figure that out, Billy."

Billy's shoulders drooped. "Right..." he mumbled, rubbing at his neck. "Mr. Wayne, I-" The billionaire held up his hand to stop the boy from saying anything further.

"It's alright, Billy. I don't want to know _why_ you ran off," Bruce said, meeting the boy's confused eyes. "We all have our own reasons for doing things, and I know that it must be tough for you to be in such a new place. I don't mind you needing some space, but you need to make sure that you tell us where you go."

The boy nodded, lowering his head slightly.

"I'll make sure that Alfred schedules in some...alone time...for you today, alright?" Bruce continued. Wait, what did they have planned for him to do? He really needed to get to monitor duty!

"Now come on, Dick wants to check on you. He's been worried sick all night," Bruce said, standing up. Billy tensed, rubbing his arm worriedly.

"W-well, I-"

"Come on, just let him look you over. It's better if you come to him, otherwise, he'll hunt you down and mother-hen you," Bruce said, pausing at the doorway. He furrowed his brow at the sight of Billy's nervous stature, taking note of it before turning around completely.

"Meet me downstairs in a couple of minutes, alright?" he said, hoping the boy would come down on his own.

Billy nodded as the door closed before letting out a shaky breath. Mr. Wayne was taking notice of things- he could tell by the way he watched him. The man watched Billy like he was studying him constantly like he expected him to explode at any moment or something--

It reminded him of how Batman or Superman looked at him when he was Cap; with suspicion and curiosity. Granted, that was due more to the fact that there was very little information the pair had on him and his admittedly kind of unpredictable nature, but his point still stood.

Hopefully whoever he was being partnered with would understand if he was late?

\- - -

Dick glanced up towards his father as Bruce came down the stairs, his hand on the railing and eyes on him. "You said you'd bring him down," he said worriedly, only to have Bruce give him a look. Damien rolled his eyes beside him.

"He'll be down in a minute, Dick," he said, shaking his head slightly and accepting Alfred's outstretched coffee mug. The lanky raven ran a hand through his hair, glancing towards the stairs worriedly.

"You're sure?"

"Positive."

Sure enough, a few moments later Billy came down the stairs, out of his pajamas and in some of his new clothes. Dick was picking him up by his armpits in seconds, turning him over before hugging him tightly. Billy wheezed, glancing towards the others with confusion and worry.

"Bluebird you scared the shit out of me," Dick said, holding the kid out to look him in the eyes. "Tell us next time you wanna disappear, man!"

"I mean...Damien knew..." Billy said with a hint of a smile, glancing towards the 11-year-old leaning against a recliner. Damien bit back a smirk, choosing instead to roll his eyes.

"Obviously _I_ knew, Batson."

Dick snorted, biting his lip and setting Billy down on the floor. Wait, why was Dick laughing now? "Right, well, someone over the age of 11 would be nice, Bluebird."

"Grayson you know very well that I will be over the age of 11 in two days, thank you very much." Damien scowled, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at the lanky man. Billy's eyes widened, his head whipping towards the boy. 

"Wait, your birthday's in two days?!" he asked, a wide smile on his face. Damien nodded once, glancing off as Dick ruffled his hair.

"Sure is- the second one with us, too!"

"That's so cool! Are you gonna have cake?" Billy asked excitedly, stars in his eyes as he stared at the emerald-eyed boy. Damien blinked, furrowing his brow slightly and glancing at Dick before looking back at Billy.

"If Alfred chooses to make one, I suppose. Though I'm not the biggest fan...I'm going to assume you're a cake fanatic though," he said with a roll of his eyes.

Billy's smile faltered, a hand coming up to rub the back of his neck. "Well, no, I actually haven't had cake since I was about 5."

Damien's expression softened slightly. "Tt. Of course... Yes, there'll be cake, Batson," he said, making Dick smirk down at him.

Billy's smile widened again. "I'll have to make you a present," he said, bringing his hand up to his face and knawing on his knuckle in thought. "Maybe Jason could help me find something," he said, glancing around. "Wait, where is Jason?"

Dick and Bruce shared a look, the younger opening his mouth to speak before Alfred stepped in. "He was called away for work this morning, Master Billy. Jason tends to come and go from the manor," he said, coming to stand beside the boy. "Why don't we go get some breakfast, hm? Damien, you'll be joining us?" he asked, glancing towards the 11-year-old.

Damien nodded slowly, leading the way towards the dining room. Billy tensed, chewing on his bottom lip- this wasn't good. He didn't have time to sit around and eat breakfast, he needed to get to the Watchtower. A quick glance at one of the grandfather clocks that were scattered about the Manor told him that he only had a couple of minutes to be in the Watchtower.

Not good.

"W-Well, actually, I uh- I'm not that hungry," Billy said, wringing his small hands and looking up at Alfred. He didn't see Bruce raise an eyebrow or his subtle glance towards Dick. "I- I could uh- I could go finish unpacking and come down after that," he said, glancing towards the other people in the room.

Dick looked slightly confused, Mr. Wayne seemed to be edging on suspicious, and Damien was looking at him with an unreadable expression. Something shifted in the boy's face and he walked over to Billy. "I'll help him."

The trio of adults stared at the two, and Billy blinked in confusion. "I- I don't really need the help-"

_"Just go with it,"_ Damien breathed.

"But um... if- if you really want to... I guess you could help me unpack..." he mumbled, averting his gaze. He wasn't sure what kind of game Damien was playing, but if it was an opening for him to leave, he'd take it.

Mr. Wayne looked like he wanted to say something, but his phone suddenly went off. He paused, fishing the sleek silver device out of his pocket and putting it to his ear. "What? He said he'd be there," he said, walking a few steps away from the rest of the group and putting a hand on his hip.

"No, he's never late, he's too much of a boy scout to be late," he said with a tired sigh, bringing a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "No, no, it's...it's fine. Listen, I have to handle a family matter then i'll be up there," he said, dropping his hand. 

"Yeah. I know, Barry. I'll check up on him."

Mr. Wayne ended the call, pocketing his phone and glancing towards the rest of the group- who were all watching him with curiosity. "Uh- sorry, a problem at Wayne Corp. Someone decided to not show up for work..." he said, letting out a sigh and shaking his head slightly. 

"Damien, you can go with Billy, but both of you are staying _inside_ the Manor, got it?" he said, glancing between the two boys. Both nodded before Damien led the way up the grand staircase towards their rooms.

\- - -

Billy followed Damien up the stairs and into his room, closing the door behind him, only to be shoved up against it-- metaphorically, that is. Damien's piercing eyes made him flinch as he stared at him, jade pupils calculating and suspicious.

"I don't know exactly what you're hiding, Batson, but I have an idea," he said, his gaze softening slightly as he leaned against a bedpost. "Go. I don't care where you're going, but I can understand a need to get out of this accursed manor when I see one."

"But you-"

"I'll cover for you. Turn on a game system and Alfred will leave you alone. Dick might try and come in, but lock the door and he'll leave. He's a pansy like that. Won't even try and pick the lock."

"And you would...?" Billy asked, detaching himself from the door. Damien simply gave him a hint of a grin before turning his attention towards the flatscreen hanging on the wall.

"Try to avoid Grayson's window this time, unless you want to be lectured by father again," he said, settling down in a lotus position and picking up a controller. He turned on the system and TV, glancing at Billy.

"Are you going or not?"

"W-Well I just-"

"Tt- I'm not going to follow you, Batson. Whatever secret you have, I'll uncover on my own. Following you would be too easy- I prefer a challenge, thank you very much," Damien said with a scoff, turning his attention fully to the screen. 

"Now go."

Billy swallowed thickly, glancing towards the window before looking back at Damien. Was he really not going to follow him?

He didn't really have the time to worry about whether he would or not, he realized after glancing at a clock. He was late- Captain Marvel was never late! He tensed, moving to the window quickly and opening it. The boy glanced back at Damien, who was currently sorting through a variety of what Billy could only assume were loud games.

Warmth bloomed in his chest- Damien was willing to help him again. Maybe they could work this out after all.

"Thanks, Damien..." he said with a small smile, noting Damien's slight tense before a scoffed.

"Whatever, Batson."

Billy's smile widened slightly before he set to work climbing his way up towards the roof. He was going to have to trust that Damien wouldn't follow him-- and hopefully, he wouldn't get in too much trouble for being late.

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanna give a huge thank you to everyone that commented on that author's note last chapter- It was a massive help to me. I kinda forgot that copyright stuff could get very very messy if you weren't careful with it, and Ao3's rules are so twisty and gnarled that they are kinda confusing.
> 
> But thank you guys, seriously, for helping me out with that. I set up a Tumblr so that I can interact with you guys more (get prompts, answer questions, actually have conversations with you guys) and that user is @Starkzam because SOMEONE decided it'd be great to snatch up my username. :P
> 
> Again, thank you all so so much. I might have a patreon or something of the sort up on there, IDK yet-- but onto this chapter.
> 
> What did you think?


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, this one's gonna get S P I C Y...
> 
> DEADASS GOT MYSELF EXCITED WITH THIS ONE.

**Billy's smile widened slightly before he set to work climbing his way up towards the roof. He was going to have to trust that Damien wouldn't follow him-- and hopefully, he wouldn't get in too much trouble for being late.**

\- - -

"Alright fine, maybe your theory has grounds to stand on..." Dick muttered, his expression sour as he followed Bruce down to the cave. "He didn't look like he was in any pain when I squeezed him, but with his stitches, it should've hurt."

Bruce nodded once, his eyes trained on the large computer at the end of the room as he walked. "I noticed that. He probably healed himself but didn't take out the stitches in case we checked," he said, sitting down in the large chair.

"It's just weird to think of Billy, a street kid with way too big of a heart, as a magic-user. I mean- more than half of the magic-users we meet are either evil or morally gray, so I just- I worry for him..." Dick said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You worry for everyone," Bruce commented in reply.

Dick gave him a look before letting out a sigh. "Billy's different. I don't know what it is about him, but I've never met anyone even remotely similar. He's not jaded like Jason was when he pulled him off the streets, and he's not cynical like Damien. The kid's an orphan but you'd never be able to tell. I mean, I use humor to cope and Tim buries himself in work, but Billy..." her trailed off, shaking his head with a small smile.

"It's almost like that kid is just determined to be some kind of ray of sunshine so that no one can feel bad for him. Like he doesn't want people to see the bad parts of his life, only the good."

Bruce glanced at him.

"It's kind of inspiring in a way. I mean, he's probably got barely any memories of his folks but he doesn't show it. He's probably in a lot of pain half the time but you'd never know."

"He's stronger than we'd expected," Bruce finished for him, turning his attention back towards the screen. "Maybe that's the reason Alfred picked him up. He's strong like all of you, just in a different way. Maybe he thought that if he didn't intercede, that strength wouldn't last for much longer."

Dick nodded slowly, letting out a breath and carding his fingers through his hair. "So was that call really from Wayne Corp or was it for the League?" he asked, leaning against the console. 

"The league. Captain Marvel hasn't shown up for monitor duty," Bruce replied, typing something into the computer. "He's never late. Flash called me asking if I knew anything about it," he continued before standing. He walked over to a chamber and stepped inside, the door closing as Dick glanced towards the screen.

"That's unlike him- big guy's usually early to everything," he commented, glancing back towards the chamber Bruce had stepped into. The door opened nd he came out in uniform, tugging on one of his gauntlets before glancing at his eldest.

"I know."

"So you goin' up there to check everything out?" Dick asked, raising a brow and plopping down in the big chair himself. Batman nodded once, moving towards the teleporter.

"Yes. If Billy asks, I'm at Wayne Corp."

"I think I'll tell him you're on the moon."

Bruce gave him an unimpressed look before stepping into the teleporter and vanishing.

"When the Bat's away, the Nightwings shall play," Dick said with a smirk, leaning back in his chair and grabbing a controller from under the console before turning on Minecraft and setting to work.

\- - -

Cap showed up in the Zeta tube and harnessed the speed of Mercury to appear in the monitor room in a crimson blur. He found Flash sitting back in one of the two chairs, his elbow resting on a chair arm and his head supported by the limb. He glanced back at the sound of displacing air, perking up at the sight of the demigod.

"Cap! Dude, where have you been? Our shift started like, 15 minutes ago," he said as Captain Marvel walked up and placed a hand on the back of the empty chair. 

"Sorry, I just- I had some family stuff I needed to deal with," he said, taking a seat. Flash gave him a curious look, like he wanted to ask more, but stayed quiet. Most of the members of the League had learned by this point that if you asked Marvel about his personal life he would shut down.

"Alright, man. At least you're okay."

Marvel gave him a grin, turning his attention back towards the large monitor before a hand grasped his shoulder. He tensed, turning his head to glance back at Batman staring down at him.

"You're late."

"I'm- I'm sorry, sir," Cap said, turning around in his chair. "I had some family stuff to deal with in G- in- in Fawcett," he stumbled over his words, bringing a hand up to rub the back of his neck. Flash was tense beside him, keeping his eyes trained on the large monitor while Batman sighed in front of him.

"You have a responsibility here, Captain," he said, staring the demigod down.

"I- I know sir."

"You have teammates depending on you to be here. Don't let it happen again."

"Yes, sir."

Batman turned with a swish of his cape, moving down the hall like a shadow. Cap let out a shaky breath, turning his attention back on the screen. "Hey, man, its okay," Flash said, bending forward to try and get into the demigod's line of view. 

"Don't let him getcha down. It's the first time you've ever been late. He was probably just worried about you," the speedster said as he leaned back in his chair.

"Sure has a funny way of showing it..." Cap mumbled, getting a chuckle out of Flash.

"Trust me, big guy, he's the same way with his kids."

This made him pause, staring at Flash with widened eyes. Batman had kids?!

"Batman has kids?!"

Flash must have realized what he said, cause he smacked his hand against his face and dragged it down with a groan. He dropped the hand, glancing towards Cap's shocked expression. "Yeah..." he sighed. "I mean, it's kind of obvious if you think about it. What'd you think Robin was to him?"

The man's cheeks tinged crimson and he'd averted his gaze. He'd never actually thought about it before. He'd assumed that Robin was just some kid that worked alongside Batman- but it made way more sense if said kid was his son.

"Wait, you said he had multiple kids," Cap said with a furrowed brow. 

"Yeah- Nightwing used to be Robin. I think he was the first one, actually," Flash said, glancing towards the screen. "Look, I dunno, I'm not really even supposed to say anything about the guy's personal life. Maybe if you ask him he'll tell you, but I think he'd demand some kind of trade-off or something."

"Trade-off?" Cap asked, tilting his head slightly in confusion. 

"Yeah... Bats already knew my identity, and when he told me it was kind of an emergency. He's not the kind of guy to give that info up willingly- _Superman's_ more likely to tell you who he really is, and only Batman, Hal, and Diana know that." the speedster said, leaning back in his chair again.

"But I honestly don't think he's got anything on you. I mean, It'd explain why he's always kinda tight around you. I could be wrong, sure, but he's just too tense around you for him to know who you really are without the cape."

"Gods, I hope not..." Cap muttered, leaning back in his own chair and getting a bark of laughter from the speedster beside him.

"Got somethin' to hide there, big guy?" he asked with a chuckle, getting a half-shrug from the larger of the two.

He brought a hand up to rub the back of his neck, glancing up at the ceiling. "I mean, if I'm honest with myself, no. I guess I'm just worried everyone would be disappointed if they knew who I really was."

Flash tilted his head slightly, sitting up and giving the man a long look in the eyes. "Well...you're not a criminal, are you?"

Captain Marvel's eyes widened in shock. "Of course not!"

"Yeah, I figured not," Flash said with a smirk as he settled back down. "Look, Cap, you don't gotta worry about anyone being 'dissapoinited' in your secret identity. You're a genuinely good guy who's always looking out for other people. Sure, some people may bea bit prickly around you, but that just cause they haven't had a ray of sunshine like you in the lives and just aren't used to you."

"I've been on the league for nearly a year, though."

"And I've been on it for three, and Bats _still_ doesn't trust me to handle monitor duty on my own," Flash replied with a smirk.

"But trust me, Cap. We like you for you. Nothin's gonna change that."

Was Flash telling the truth? If that was what people really thought, maybe his fears were based off nothing. Solomon's voice yelling in his head told him otherwise, but the speedster's words stuck with him. The League liked him for him- because he was genuine in how he presented himself. 

He couldn't help the small smile that came to his face at the thought. "You should be a motivational speaker, you know that?" he commented, leaning back in his chair and glancing towards the sound of determined footsteps coming down the hall.

He raised a questioning brow at Flash, to which the speedster only shrugged. A figure came around the corner, looking for something- or someone. Captain Marvel froze at the sight of the newcomer, his eyes wide as he took notice of the leather jacket covering dark body armor, a bright red bat symbol emblazoned on the chest, black tactical gloves and a bright red helmet that glinted in the light.

_"Jason?"_

The words came out of his mouth before he had time to register them, and he immediately regretted it. Red Hood zoned in on him and the whites of his helmet narrowed. "Who the _hell_ are you?" he asked gruffly, anger seeping into his words.

This- this was a completely different Jason than the one he had become used to in the little time he'd known the man. Anger was seeping out of every pore of the man, not just a low simmer, and his stance was offensive- on guard. Cap suddenly noticed him pulling a gun, pointing it at the demigod.

Flash tensed, standing up and putting his hands up placatingly. "Whoa, whoa- hold on, let's all calm down here-"

Jason came closer, gun still pointed at Marvel's chest. He stopped a few feet away, glaring at him through his mask. "Go. _Now_." he growled, and Marvel obeyed. He left the room with a glance towards Flash, rounding the corner before Jason suddenly slammed him against the wall and pressed the pistol against his chest.

Now, bullets couldn't penetrate his skin due to his invulnerability, but it was still unnerving to have his new foster brother threatening him with one. "You're gonna tell me how the fuck you know my name, big man, NOW." he growled, pressing the gun harder against Marvel's skin.

The demigod swallowed- Solomon was coming up with nothing for him, which in itself was worrisome, but he always had his faithful back-up plan. "Um- I uh, well, actually..." he trailed off before vanishing in a crimson blur. He appeared beside Flash in the monitor room, keeping his eyes on the hallway he'd just come from. "I think I uh- I think I should go."

Flash nodded slowly before gunshots rang out through the watchtower. "I'm so sorry," Cap said, giving Flash an apologetic smile before running towards the Zeta Tubes and vanishing in a flash of light.

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Relinquish your comments to me or I'll *insert clever threat to Billy Batson's life here*


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You thought that last one was spicy?
> 
> You ain't seen nothin' yet, kid.
> 
> Also, I adore how you guys are theorizing and trying to figure out who's gonna find out who's identity first.
> 
> ALSO, Go follow my Tumblr! I got uh...Billy Batson memes... and uh... I'm gonna start posting little snippets/ficlets/scenarios I have in my head that don't really fit anywhere else on my tumblr, so if you wanna see that kind of stuff, go look over there...
> 
> https://starkzam.tumblr.com/

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I didn't update this weekend, I work from 9 am to 8 pm on weekends, so not much time to work on writing. 
> 
> Especially since I have multiple midterms to work on :P

**Flash nodded slowly before gunshots rang out through the watchtower. "I'm so sorry," Cap said, giving Flash an apologetic smile before running towards the Zeta Tubes and vanishing in a flash of light.**

\- - -

"He...what?"

"I said he knew my name. He knew who I was, Bruce," Jason said, pacing back and forth and seething. His helmet was sitting on the table as he walked back and forth, anger radiating off him. "I don't even know who this guy was, some- some big lightning-themed bastard," he growled, pausing when Bruce's expression changed.

"Hold on. Big, lightning emblem on the chest, black hair, white cape?"

Jason furrowed his brow. "Yeah. Who is he?"

"Captain Marvel."

"Wait, _Marvel?_ That's- that's that guy on the covers of Billy's comic books. The ones Dick got him." he said, anger dissipating slightly.

Bruce crossed his arms over his chest. "Why would Marvel know your identity, Jason. Are you _completely_ sure he said your name?" he asked, giving his son a look. Dick must have decided that this was the perfect time to walk into the meeting room because the metallic door slid open and he strutted inside.

"There you guys are- Why does Flash look like he's regretting his life choices?" he asked, glancing between the two. "Wait, did you pull a gun on him?" he asked, glancing towards the gun on the table and the pair of holes in the wall. _"Again?"_

Jason rolled his eyes, leaning against the table. "No. This Captain Marvel guy _apparently_ knows who I am."

"Are you sure?" Dick asked, tilting his head slightly. "I'm pretty sure the only identities Cap knows are Diana's and Victors, and they're kinda public."

"Yes, I'm sure, _Dickhead_. He called me by my name when I walked in the room. Had this stunned look on his face and everything."

"Wow, first trip up to the Watchtower and you're _already_ starting trouble," Dick teased with a smirk, only to get a pair of glares in return. He shut his mouth and Jason ran a hand through his hair.

"This makes- it makes zero sense. I have no idea who that guy even is, other than someone that shows up on Billy's comics!" Jason growled in frustration, turning to hit the table as Dick's eyebrows furrowed. 

"Wait... actually I- I think this might make sense after all."

"What do you mean, Nightwing?" Bruce asked, turning his attention towards his eldest.

"Well, when we were at the mall, Billy said that Cap was a cool hero because he visited him and other homeless kids and brought them snacks and stuff. He apparently checked up on them and stuff," he said, rubbing at his chin. "And...well, I said I wouldn't say anything but Cap was in Gotham a few nights ago- the night that Billy was missing. Maybe he- I dunno, maybe he was checking up on him or something. There's obviously _some_ connection there."

"That would explain the magic soil you and Damien found," Jason commented.

"Marvel is magic, everything he touches becomes embued with it. If he met Billy in the woods, it'd make sense that there would be magical residue on their surroundings. I think Billy might still be a meta, and that may be part of the reason Captain Marvel chose to check up on him." Bruce said, letting out a tired sigh.

"He knows my rule, he might fear for Billy and worry about if I found out about him."

"What, so Billy just up and told Marvel that I'm Red Hood?"

"I mean... Billy _is_ still a kid, dude. They don't have the best track record when it comes to secrets... I did tell you it was a bad idea. But maybe he thought that since you were both in the cape business, Cap might already know," Dick offered, crossing his arms loosely over his chest.

"It explains a lot. Why Billy would be so scared of Batman. Why he'd be so secretive about why he snuck out. How he managed to survive for so long on the streets." Bruce said. "Maybe he's an informant or something. Or a sidekick. A protege of sorts." 

"Could Cap be teaching Billy magic?" Dick asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Maybe, but Captain Marvel doesn't seem like the instructing type," Bruce replied.

"Maybe he has a familial connection? I mean, keeping in touch with this kid is one thing, but showing up in Gotham to personally check up on him?" Dick suggested, setting his hands on his hips. "I get that the big guy's a boy scout, but...there's something else there. I'm sure that Billy's the reason Cap showed up in town, but- the real question is why _Billy?"_

Bruce pulled out his phone, staring down at the screen and swiping through what could only be assumed to be Billy's records. He paused, the whites of his cowl widening a fraction. He tensed, his grip on the phone tightening slightly. 

"Of _course_."

"What is it Bats?"

The eldest of the trio sighed. "I didn't have a connection between the two before, so the similarity wasn't obvious," he said, making Dick furrow his brows. Bruce turned his phone around to show them the screen. "But Captain Marvel is the spitting image of C.C. Batson."

"Wait, Batson- is that Billy's dad?" Dick asked, his eyes widening. "Billy's father is Captain Marvel?!"

Bruce shook his head. "I don't think so. C.C. Batson died five years ago. Or at least that's what his public record says. Him and his wife Marilyn were victims of structural collapse while in Egypt. Billy was in the states and got put into foster care." he explained, putting his phone in his pocket.

"Marvel either wears the face of a dead man or is somehow Billy's father with sudden magical powers." the Dark Knight explained.

"Could he have faked his death?" Jason asked, raising a brow. "Or you know, done it my way?"

Dick rolled his eyes, shaking his head at his brother. "You realize that Lazarus pits aren't very easy to get to, right?"

Jason shrugged.

"Regardless, him and Billy are connected in a way. Isn't Captain Marvel that one that you don't have an identity for yet?" Jason asked, glancing at Bruce. The man nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. "We know he's magic, and you somehow don't have a public identity for him."

"Not to mention he just showed up out of the blue one day..." Dick added.

"That's what makes me believe he's not Billy's father. For one, his father was a renowned archeologist, he had money to spare and I doubt he'd let his son live on the streets. In addition to that, Marvel showed up four years after C.C. died- he's been around for only a year and a half at most. Lazarus Pits can only bring things back that have been dead for a short time. Five years- that's too long." Bruce said, letting out another sigh.

"Not to mention the references to a being very similar to Marvel in ancient texts..." he grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose through his cowl. "Everything about him is complicated."

"Why don't we just _talk_ to him? Or talk to Billy? Going around behind his back and- and- theorizing about what could be going on isn't gonna get us anywhere," Dick said, running a hand through his hair. 

"Out of the question," Bruce growled.

"Why?" Jason asked, raising a brow.

"Captain Marvel shuts down anytime you try and talk to him about his personal life. I'm sure this wouldn't be any different." Bruce replied, glancing between the two. "Besides, Billy is just beginning to get comfortable in the manor. I have no doubt that something like this might send him running."

"You gotta give him more credit than that, Bruce," Jason said with a slight glare. "He's a smart kid."

The man stared at him for a moment, forcing Jason to glare back at him. "He is. If you'd spend more than a couple of minutes with him, or hell, let him in the cave, you might see that!"

Bruce turned and left without another word, leaving Red Hood and Nightwing alone in the meeting room. The pair shared a look before the edge of the elder's mouth turned up.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?"

Jason turned his glare from the door to his brother. "I think you're a moron and Bruce is an ass."

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GIVE COMMENTS GIVE LIFE
> 
> Short chapter, I know, but that's where the flow ended... sorry guys. 
> 
> Also, I completely made up those rules for the Lazarus pits. Sue me.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter this time around, but that was just how this one went guys. Sorry about that- I'm gonna try to make the next one longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> omfg yall are gonna hate me for what I'm gonna do but I'm gonna laugh so fuckin hard XD
> 
> ALSO: yall I re-wrote this chapter FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES.
> 
> I HOPE YOU APPRECIATE WHAT I GO THROUGH FOR YOU GUYS.
> 
> MORE THAN 1600 WORDS RE-WRITTEN FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES. 
> 
> I'M DYING HERE.

**Jason turned his glare from the door to his brother. "I think you're a moron and Bruce is an ass."**

\- - -

Billy wasn't panicking. 

He most definitely was not panicking about the fact that he had slipped up and accidentally said his new foster brother's name upon seeing his alter ego, _especially_ when he wasn't supposed to know he was said alter ego in the first place.

Okay, so maybe he was panicking a little.

Suffice it to say, he wasn't prepared to come back to his room at the manor, flop over the edge of the window sill with chest heaving and find Damien sitting against the footboard of his bed, Captain Marvel comic books in his hands.

"Does that oaf really fight a caterpillar of all things...?" Damien asked with a furrowed brow as Billy sat up slowly. The boy was still trying to catch his breath, his panicked thoughts making him unable to do anything besides nod in response.

"Tt- idiotic."

Billy flopped back down onto the carpet, sweat beading along his brow as he tried to collect his thoughts. The entire situation was bad- his little name slip up could lead to Jason connecting him and Captain Marvel, and that was the last thing he needed. What if he told Batman? What if he told Mr. Wayne?!

Damien came into his field of vision, standing over him with a raised eyebrow and bored expression on his face. "You act as if you've never climbed through a window before."

"Well..." Billy breathed, going with the first thing that came to his head, "we are on the third floor..."

"Hardly an excuse," Damien commented, leaving Billy on the floor and tossing the comic onto his chest. "Since you're back I'm done covering for you. I have work to do and not enough moonlight to do it in," the boy said, turning on his heel and leaving the room.

Billy sighed, shaking his head at the elder boy. Damien was growing on him- the more time he spent around him the more he saw that the youngest Wayne's spikey personality was more akin to a hedgehog than a mace. He had complex layers, and Billy was sure he hadn't even scratched the surface when it came to Damien Wayne.

He was torn from his musings at the sound of a soft knock on the bedroom door before it was being pushed open. Bruce, Dick, and Jason stood in the doorway, watching him as he sat up with wide eyes.

Shit.

"Billy... we need to talk," Bruce said, watching him closely.

No, not yet- he wasn't ready to face this yet, he needed more time! "I- I-" he stammered. He hadn't even had time to come up with an explanation-- what conclusions had they come to?!

Jason was avoiding looking him in the eyes, and Billy couldn't help the guilt that rose up in his chest and made his throat tight. Dick sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Didn't have to make it sound like we were breaking up with the kid, B," he muttered.

"Look, Squirt," Jason said, taking the lead and stepping in front of the other two. He kneeled to be at eye level with Billy, something that would have felt degrading if anyone else had done it, but when Jason did it felt _kind_. "We just wanna ask you some questions, okay?"

"What- what kind of questions?" he asked nervously, thumbing the hem of his shirt out of habit. He was caught, this was it, they were going to find out and he was going to be kicked out- or worse, kept inside against his will.

"They have to do with Captain Marvel," Jason said, coming closer and taking a seat on the carpet beside the 10-year-old. Billy felt hot tears bead in the corners of his eyes at the name, blurring his vision. Jason sighed softly at the sight, glancing towards Bruce before pulling the kid into his lap and curling himself around the boy.

Billy buried his face into Jason's chest on instinct, despite half of him screaming for him to run while he still had the chance. Jason was warm and safe, he wouldn't hurt him even if he knew, he-

_He'd held a gun to his face._

No, he held a gun to Marvel's face- Marvel was indestructible. 

_He was going to leave if he knew. _

But he if already knew, why would he be holding Billy still?

_He pitied him._

No, No Jason _didn't_ pity him- he knew what it was like, he knew how that felt- he'd never pity Billy. He _cared_ for him.

"It's alright, kid. I'm not mad," Jason said softly, a large gloved hand on the back of Billy's head, softly petting his thick black hair. "You don't even know what I'm gonna ask and you're already gettin' yourself worked up."

Billy sniffled, his hands clenching tightly onto Jason's shirt. He was right- he had no idea what Jason was gonna ask him- he had a hunch, and that could be wrong- but the dread in the pit of his stomach wouldn't go away. It felt like something heavy was gnawing at his core, yelling at him to get far away but- he felt _safe_ with Jason. Safer than he had in a long time.

"I got this- you go. I'll be down in a minute," Jason said, looking towards Dick and Bruce. Dick looked like he wanted to say something, but Bruce's hand on his shoulder kept him quiet.

"We'll be in the office," Bruce replied before leading Dick out of the room and closing the door behind him. Jason turned his attention back towards the sniffling 4th-grader in his lap and sighed softly. 

"Honestly, kid, I'm not mad at you. I just wanna ask you some stuff, okay? Nothing's gonna change, no one's gonna kick you out, there's nothing at stake here."

Billy stayed quiet, pulling back slightly and rubbing at his pinkened eyes with his palm. Of course, he knew the kinds of things Billy was worried about. Jason had lived through that kind of stuff, likely worried about it himself in the past.

"Look, we're family now, you got that? Nothing you can do is gonna change that fact, Squirt," Jason said, looking down at the boy and using his hand to tilt his chin up so that they were meeting eye to eye. "But I do gotta know."

"Is Captain Marvel your dad?"

\- - -

Billy blinked- that...hadn't been what he was expecting. He drew in a shaky breath and paused his rubbing, eyes widening a fraction in confusion. How had he come to this conclusion? Why hadn't Billy thought of it first?!

He swallowed thickly, casting his eyes downward.

"N-no..." he found himself saying, despite Solomon's distant, tired screaming at him to go with this answer. Captain Marvel wasn't his dad, that- that didn't feel right. Sure, it was a great cover-up, the best one he'd heard for himself but...

He couldn't do that to his father's name. The mistakes he made as the demigod were his own, he- he couldn't just say that he was a different person completely. It felt wrong- it made him feel like a bad guy.

"J-Jason...?" he said softly, glancing up at the man's confused look. He must have been so sure of the answer he'd receive, and now Billy was messing it all up. "_I'm_ Captain Marvel."

The larger raven blinked, furrowing his brow and opening his mouth to say something before letting out a sigh and closing it. He ran a hand through his hair, tousling the white stripe and biting down on his bottom lip. "Look, kid. I know you don't think you can trust me, but this-" he sighed. "I gotta know this."

Billy furrowed his brow- he was telling the truth, and Jason- Jason didn't believe him. "I get you wanna protect the guy, but I'm not gonna hurt him. Bruce and Dick aren't either. Look, he said my real name, and it threw me for a loop. I just wanna know how he learned it, and the only thing I can think of is you, squirt. He's not in trouble, and neither are you. I just wanna know who all know's my identity."

Billy lowered his gaze.

"You know him, yeah? Maybe he's not your dad, but you know him."

The boy nodded slowly.

"Okay. That's good enough for me. You told him my name?"

Another slow nod. Why did this feel like a dream to him suddenly? Everything was moving in a haze- maybe it was shock.

"Alright. Again, kid, you're not in trouble. But you can't tell anyone else who I am, alright? I'm not the best guy, remember," Jason said with a small grin, setting the boy down on the carpet, ruffling his hair and standing up."I'm gonna go meet up with Bruce, you should probably start getting ready for bed."

With that, he left, giving Billy one last grin before shutting his bedroom door behind him.

The boy was still in shock, flopping down onto the floor and staring up at the ceiling. Jason didn't believe him. He'd told him...and _Jason didn't believe him._

Was it that hard to believe? Sure, there was the obvious notion that he was 10 and weighed 80 pounds soaking wet whereas Captain Marvel looked like he was an actual God of Lightning walking amongst mortal men, but that couldn't be it, could it?

Why did it hurt to have Jason reject the notion completely?

Why did his chest feel tight?

_Why was the room spinning?_

He clenched his eyes shut tightly before opening them, glancing down at himself and finding a dark wet spot on his side. The boy sat up slowly and lifted his shirt to find his stitches torn and blood seeping through the open wound. Right...he'd forgotten to heal that. He must have been so wrapped up in everything he didn't even register the pain in his side all this time.

The room was really spinning now, making the boy wince as he put a hand on his side to try and stop the bleeding. He should really call for someone, this could be serious-- why couldn't he bring himself to move?

He felt his head hit the carpet and he was staring at the ceiling again, his vision getting blurry as his head started to pound.

Wait, was that a _person_ coming out of his vent?

The 10-year-old blacked out on the floor, blood dripping onto the light-colored carpet.

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, yall.....Damien did NOT want to work with me in this chapter. His dialog was off every time I wrote it, everything he did felt clunky or weird and I just- ugh. I couldn't win. I tried. I tried so many times. But nope. Nothing. So sorry he's barely in this one.
> 
> ANYWAY-
> 
> What'd you think of that cliffhanger my dudes? Hmmmmm????????


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy wakes up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;) I'm srsly expecting rants after this one. Or squeals. Or for laptops/phones to be thrown. I'm expecting some kind of reaction at least.

**The 10-year-old blacked out on the floor, blood dripping onto the light-colored carpet.**

\- - -

"Honestly, I didn't think you'd ripped them this bad, kid," a voice pulled Billy from the throws of darkness, guiding him back into the world of the living. His body was aching, a dull buzz in his head that made him want to stay as still as possible. There was a dull pain in his side and distinct, rhythmic pulling that made him finally open his eyes slowly.

The room he was in was bright- _too_ bright. He shut his eyes against it with a wince, and the light tugging at his side stopped. "Welcome back," the voice said casually before the tugging started back up again. It belonged to a man, by the pitch, but a young one. 

"You're lucky I'm good at sewing. This could've resulted in a pretty nasty scar with how loose you managed to get these things," the voice continued. Billy attempted to move his arm up to his head, only to be stopped by a sharp pain in the crook of his elbow. "I wouldn't if I were you. You lost too much blood and the IV's the only thing keeping you conscious," the man said conversationally as if he knew Billy immediately thought of pulling whatever was in his arm out.

"There," the voice said as the sound of scissors cutting thread echoed through the room. Billy laid his head back down on the pillow. Where was he? Who was this guy? Was this the guy that he'd seen coming out of his vent before he passed out? Was he even still inside the manor?

"You're heartrate's spiking. Try and calm down, kid."

The man came around to his side and the distinct sound of a keyboard could be heard beside him. "W-who..." Billy breathed, opening his eyes the smallest amount in an attempt to get a look at whoever had just saved him from bleeding out in his bedroom.

He wasn't expecting a teenager to be beside him, standing in front of a monitor with fingers flying across the keyboard like he'd seen only Batman do. He was thin- well, thinner than Jason or Dick, but had lean muscles to him that fit someone doing gymnastics or parkour. His hair was black and he was wearing a dark grey suit- well, minus the suit jacket that is. The teenager, who was probably 16 if Billy had to guess, glanced at him.

"The name's Tim. We met your first day here," he said before turning his attention back towards the screen.

Wait, this was that one guy that had vanished after he met him. Mr. Wayne had said something about him being absorbed in his studies, which explained some of him not being around, but that didn't explain everything that just happened. Was he studying to be a nurse or something? Maybe with Jason being a vigilante, he learned how to stitch people up just in case.

Billy just hoped he wasn't a criminal in disguise.

The 10-year-old winced as he attempted to sit up, and Tim helped him sit with his back against the pillow. "Where...where are we?" he asked, looking around the room. It looked almost exactly like a hospital room, though the bed was much comfier and the room didn't stink of a sterilizer.

"One of the medical rooms in the manor. You know about Jason's activities- we had to have something in place to patch him up if he got too hurt," Tim explained, never looking up from the monitor.

Well, that explained some of the accents that screamed 'Alfred'.

"So..." Tim said, gaining the boy's attention once more as the teenager finally paused in his typing to look Billy in the eyes. "Captain Marvel, huh?"

The heart monitor went into overdrive.

\- - -

Billy froze- his chest clenched and the world seemed to slow to a crawl. The heart monitor beside the bed went crazy, but Tim only glanced at it before putting his eyes back on Billy. The kid was in shock- how- how did Tim- this didn't-

He swallowed thickly, letting out a small, shaky breath before Tim cleared his throat. "I'm taking that as a yes, I hope you realize."

NO!

"I- I- n-no! Of course not, I- I'm only 10, Captain Marvel is this big- he's this thunder god and I'm just some kid and-" Tim gave him an unimpressed look, his hands shoved into his pockets. Billy could feel the tears threatening to well in his eyes but he pushed them back.

"Anyone ever tell you you're a horrible liar?" Tim asked, tilting his head slightly. "Kinda surprising considering your background and well..." he trailed off with a look towards the boy. "Your alter ego, but..."

"I said I'm _not_ Captain Marvel! I- I- I don't even- I was just playing a- a prank on Jason and- and I-" he stammered, unable to push back the tears anymore.

"Look, kid, I _know_ you're him. The night you snuck out, I watched you. You scaled down past Dick's room and triggered my motion-detectors. Seeing as how you weren't Damien and had no reason to be climbing down the side of the manor in the middle of the night, I had a drone follow you to make sure you didn't get hurt," Tim said, watching as Billy attempted to wipe his tears away angrily.

"I saw you transform," he made a face at his own words.

"Well, the lightning overloaded my drone's sensors, so I didn't _see it_ see it, but one moment you were standing in the middle of the gardens, lightning struck you, and suddenly Captain Marvel was standing in your place," Tim said, his head tilting slightly as he spoke. "Unless you can give me a good reason to believe my eyes were lying to me, I'd say that's good enough proof for anyone."

Billy wanted to curl up into a ball and cry- this couldn't be happening. He had gotten careless and look where it got him. "Please- please don' tell Mr. Wayne..." he whimpered, his hands balled into fists and rubbing the tears from his eyes as they spilled down his cheeks. He couldn't deny it, but he could at least beg the teenager not to tell his secret.

"What? Kid, of course I'm not gonna tell him," Tim said with a smirk, crossing his arms over his chest. Billy glancing up at him in confusion, one palm still up and rubbing at his the pink skin around his eyes. "This is your secret identity, not mine. You wanna tell the old man go right ahead, but I'm not gonna." 

Billy sniffled, staring the teenager in the eyes. He wasn't gonna say anything? Maybe he was expecting something in return. "I can' give you anything..." he mumbled, turning his head away from the taller raven.

"Don't want anything," Tim said, leaning against the wall. "You know about Jason, and by the looks of it, you know about Titus, too. Obviously, the latter is cause you're Cap, but...I think there's something big you're missing," he said, getting the boy's attention once more.

"What do you mean?"

Tim brought a hand up and scratched at his neck. "I'm not allowed to say anything. But what I can tell you is that you _might_ wanna pay more attention to your surroundings. The manor is a _big_ place," he said with a smirk before the opening of the door caught both their attention.

"BILLY!"

The boy felt warmth spark in his chest at the familiar chorus of voices, Dick and Jason running into the room with worried expressions etched into their faces. They stood at the end of the bed, Jason looking him over while Dick clutched his chest. Damien and Bruce followed in behind, Damien eyeing him quickly before turning his attention towards the phone in his hand. He leaned against the wall while Bruce came around to the side of the bed.

He lifted the edge of Billy's shirt up slowly, careful to make his movements slow and deliberate. Billy still tensed but didn't move and let him get a look at the stitches Tim had done. His brows furrowed slightly before his expression schooled.

"Thank you, Tim," he said, setting Billy's shirt back down and meeting the 10-year-old's eyes. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"I- I-" Billy swallowed, glancing at Tim before looking at Dick and Jason. "Tim said I pulled my stitches loose..." he mumbled. 

"What were you doing, kid?" Jason asked, eyes wide. "I left you on the floor of your bedroom! Did you have some sudden urge to start somersaulting or something?!"

"I can teach you how, if you want," Dick offered, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Cause obviously you didn't do 'em right."

Billy blinked, a small smile appearing on his face. "I uh- no, I... I think I just stretched or something while me and Damien played videogames," he said, getting a raised eyebrow from Tim and a knowing smirk from Damien.

"Well, you need to take it easy for the next couple of days, alright? We'll move you to your room and you can stay in bed until Damien's party. That should give you stitches enough time to heal and let you to move freely without ripping them," Bruce said, meeting the boy's eyes.

"You're _sure_ you're okay?" he asked slowly, his voice growing soft.

Billy grinned despite the whiplash the billionaire's expression gave him. "Yeah, I'm alright Mr. Wayne."

The billionaire sighed. "If you say so. Damien, come on, you have homework you need help with, yeah?" he said, glancing towards the soon-to-be 12-year-old. The boy nodded once, glancing towards Billy before following Mr. Wayne out of the room. Jason took the man's place, Dick coming around to his other side.

"Why does it feel like I've just been spending the past few days worrying about you, Bluebird?" Dick asked, tilting his head slightly. 

Jason snorted. "Maybe 'cause you're a mother hen," he said before glancing towards Tim. "How'd replacement do with your stitches?" Dick gave him a look, smacking him on the arm before glancing down at Billy.

"They're fine- better than I could do anyway," Billy replied despite the weird looks. Was this what Tim meant by taking a closer look at the things around him? He looked at the wall where Tim had been only to find him gone and the door to the room closing softly.

"We should still probably get you to your room," Jason said, reaching down and picking the 10-year-old up bridal style. "Mind getting the door, Jackass?" he asked, getting a grin from Billy. Dick rolled his eyes and opened the door for them, following the pair out of the room and down the hall.

"So what do you think of joining me and Dickhead here on the hunt for a birthday present for the little demon brat?" Jason asked as they walked, his boots thudding against the plush carpet as the trio made their way up the stairs. Billy glanced up at him, opening his mouth to speak before Dick beat him to it.

"Don't you think we should leave that to Bruce? He was wanting to take Billy out with him to do exactly that," the tallest raven said, raising a brow at Jason. "Or are you just trying to buy Billy toys?"

Jason smirked, using his back to shove open Billy's bedroom door. "You can't prove nothin', Grayson."

Dick rolled his eyes with a smile, helping the leather-clad man lay Billy down in bed and cover him with blankets. "Seriously though, B did want you to come with him to get Damien a gift. I think he feels bad for being away so often- probably feels bad that you've barely seen him since you got here," Dick explained, pulling tucking the boy in.

"Yeah, he's a real softie when it comes to that," Jason said sarcastically, leaning against a bedpost. Dick gave him a look before turning his attention back towards Billy.

"It'll be fun, trust me. Bruce looks like this big brick wall of scowls and stony silence, but once you get to know him he's a genuinely good person."

The boy nodded in response- it sounded like it could be fun. "Okay, when?"

"Well, we had to move Damien's party back to this weekend, and Bruce'll probably want you in bed for as long as he can keep you here, so bet on Friday," Dick replied, standing up. "Sleep tight, Bluebird."

"Don't let the Batman bite," Jason winked, getting a smack from Dick and turning off the light. He shut Billy's bedroom door and the boy let out a small breath.

The bedroom was dark, but under the thick covers of his bed, Billy felt warm. His chest felt tight and that warmth bloomed inside it- was this what having siblings felt like?

The worrying over you, the name-calling, the secretive planning against the rest of the family- it was nice. It made him feel like a part of him that he hadn't even realized was missing was finally there.

He felt like he was a part of a _family_ again.

How had he forgotten this feeling?

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You have no idea how badly I wanted to just end it after the first "- - -" and post it there, but I shoved my need for theatrics aside and continued writing for you, my lovely audience.
> 
> Please forgive me for Tim's characterization, I srsly don't know him like at all. (besides his YJ counterpart which I based this off of)
> 
> Anywho-- Give me your comments I crave validation.
> 
> Srsly though, I read every single one of them, even if I don't respond to them. They always make me smile.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a filler chapter, but eh, enjoy it nonetheless. ;P

**How had he forgotten this feeling?**

\- - -

That night, Billy found himself in the middle of the street. Lamposts lit the sidewalks around him, but he couldn't see anything beyond their dim lights. The asphalt below him was cracked and had grass poking through the edges, as if the street hadn't been used in 30 years. 

The 10-year-old furrowed his brow at the sound of screeching tires, eyes widening at the sight of the Batmobile screeching into the dim light. Wait, this was Fawcett, what was Batman doing here? The dark Knight himself opened the driver's door and stepped out, the whites of his cowl narrowed at Billy.

His body was slightly hidden by the thick armor of the car door, but the distaste wafted off the man in waves, crashing into Billy and making him flinch.

"Bat-Batman?" he said, his voice echoing through the empty streets.

The Dark Knight said nothing, continuing to stare at him from beside the armored car. "Batman, what are you doing in Fawcett?" he asked in confusion. The man lifted his arm to reveal a pistol gripped in his hand, the lamposts making the object glint and glimmer.

The 10-year-old swallowed thickly. "W-what are you doing with that? You- I thought you were against guns..." Billy said nervously, taking a step back. He found himself bumping into another body, glancing back to find Nightwing standing behind him. He tensed, eyes widening further when the man in black and blue grabbed his arms and held him still. 

"Nightwing what's- what's going on?!" he asked, tears welling in his eyes from fear. The younger man simply looked down at him with disgust. Batman came closer, the pistol now aimed directly at Billy. His heart was pounding in his ears, and every fiber of his being was telling him to get out of this situation while he still could.

He did the first thing he could think of. He opened his mouth to yell the Wizard's name--

\--Only to have Nightwing shove a rag into it and muzzle him.

Billy looked up at the pair- what was happening!? Why were they doing this to him?! They were supposed to be teammates! Friends!

"You _lied_, Billy," Batman said, disdain dripping from his voice as he came closer. The cold barrel of the gun was aimed right between Billy's eyes, pressing against his skin. The 10-year-old couldn't hold back the tears in his eyes anymore as they started to stream down his face- Nightwing laughed.

"To think I was actually _friends_ with this," he said with a roll of his eyes. "Pretty disturbing that Captain Marvel's just some dumb street kid, huh."

"It's _pathetic_," Batman replied, gun still pressed against Billy's forehead.

"Wh-what- how do you know?" Billy asked, his small frame trembling in Nightwing's grip.

"That's easy, you little brat," another voice said, causing the trio to glance towards its source-- Jason. He had hiss helmet gripped tightly in one hand and a gun in the other, a wicked smirk on his face as he walked towards them from the shadows. "I told them."

"But I- I never told you-" Billy whimpered, feeling very, _very_ small in front of the people who were supposed to be his friends. He used his shoulder to wipe at his tears and Jason rolled his eyes.

"You didn't have to. You're obvious, kid. I can't believe I ever took pity on someone like _you_." Jason cocked his gun, a grin appearing on his face as he moved his finger to the trigger. Billy stared down the barrel of the gun, fear clenching his heart as he shut his eyes tightly before everything suddenly froze.

"By Zeus's beard, kid, is this the kind of thing that Solomon's been filling your head with?" a new voice asked, one that came from everywhere and nowhere at once.

The 10-year-old sniffled, still trembling. He opened an eye to find that Batman, Nightwing, and Jason had all vanished-- along with the street around him. He was in an endless black void, floating in the emptiness and shaking viciously.

"Poor kid," another voice added, this one lower in register than the first.

"I'm keeping him humble. _Reasonable_." a third voice added, making the boy's anxiety spike.

"Oh shut up, you false god." another voice said, and Billy could almost _feel_ the eye roll that accompanied the words.

"Both of you better be quiet," another voice said, the lowest of them all. 

"Who- who's there?" Billy asked, rubbing at his eyes with his palms and looking around. The voices were familiar, even if they didn't make much sense- and where had Batman and Nightwing gone? What about Jason?

"Whoa, whoa, slow down there kiddo, you're gonna burst a blood vessel there," a voice said before a man with bright red curly hair and a golden, winged helmet on his head appeared in front of him. He looked worried for him, floating in the void with a concerned look on his face.

"_Honestly_, Hermes, you're ridiculous," another voice, this one belonging to a man with coarse brown hair and facial hair that appeared beside the red-haired man. Both were clad in togas with golden accents and both felt oddly familiar. "The child isn't gonna burst some blood vessel. He is _fine. _Like a warhorse, this one."

"Okay, seriously, it feels like you two are _always_ nagging at one another. Are you always nagging or is that just my perception of you? I _feel_ like you're always fighting," another man, this one with dark, nearly black hair and facial hair with a lion's pelt slung over his shoulder, said with a smirk. He too, appeared out of the darkness, shaking his head at the muscular man and the man with the winged helmet.

"They _are_ always nagging at one another. But, it's within their nature. They _are_ Greek Gods after all," an older man with a long brown beard said, retreating out of the darkness. The trio rolled their eyes at him.

"And you're a wannabe pseudo-god, Solomon," another man, this one with golden hair clad in red and gold armor said, a smirk on his face as he stared the old man down. The old man glared at him before a rumble of thunder gained the men's (and Billy's) attention.

"I think you all are forgetting what's _supposed_ to be going on here," another (and hopefully the final) man said, appearing from the sound. His hair and beard were storm grey, yet his eyes were the color of a clear sky- he radiated power, and the other men quickly fell quiet in his presence. 

Billy felt small.

  
“I don’t think he recognizes us...” the man with the lion pelt slung over his shoulder said, kneeling down so that he was at eye-level with the boy. “Billy, kid, you know that was a dream, right?”

The boy swallowed thickly. It was? But it felt so real— the fear that had gripped him in the face of the Dark Knight still had him trembling. If that was a dream- then who were these guys? He felt like he knew them, they were all _very_ familiar, and yet he couldn't quite put his finger just on who they were.

"The dreamscape is a fickle one. Billy will realize who we are when he wakes up, don't worry," the man referred to as Solomon said smugly.

The man with storm clouds coalescing around him rolled his eyes. "Honestly, you boys make me lose my train of thought," he said, pressing his fingertips to his temple.

"I thought we came here to break up that nightmare made from Solomon's overreaction, father," the man with the lion pelt said, glancing towards the leader of the group.

"That, and to check on the poor boy," the man named Hermes added with a sympathetic look towards the boy.

Solomon scoffed, his arms crossed over his chest. "Well excuse me for thinking of the consequences of this whole thing. Someone now knows Billy's secret, and I for one seem to be the only one here taking that seriously!" he said angrily, looking around.

Billy swallowed thickly, unsure what to say.

The grey-bearded man sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You didn't act this way when William here told Fredrick who he was."

"Freddy is a child. No one would believe him if he were to let something slip. This- This is completely different! Someone has been able to piece it together who Billy is. If they follow him to the Rock, all of magic could be in grave danger!"

Now it was he brown-haired man's turn to scoff. "No one is going to follow Billy anywhere. You always blow these things out of proportion."

"You have no idea how tricky and lecherous humans can be, Atlas," Solomon bit back, glaring at the very tall and very muscular man. "If someone that has not even reached adulthood can figure out his identity, what is stopping anyone else?"

"Batman has yet to figure it out. Is he not Earth's greatest detective?" The man with storms coalescing around him asked.

The man with the lion pelt snorted.

Solomon rolled his eyes, letting out a long-suffering sigh. "No, I _suppose_ not. But that does not guarantee that he won't."

"I trust William to make the right decision, Solomon. He will protect his identity, and if he deems it necessary to reveal himself, I trust you would stand behind him in that decision, yes?" the man continued, raising a brow at the shorter Solomon. He sighed, shoulder dropping slightly before glancing at Billy.

"I suppose."

"Good. If that's settled, Hades and Posideon are expecting me," the storm-clad man said before vanishing into thin air. 

The rest of the men followed suit, without another word, leaving the 10-year-old alone in a white void. He looked around in confusion before aa tugging sensation pulled him from the void.

He opened his eyes to find that he was staring at the ceiling, laying in bed. The curtains of his window were drawn and an IV was standing beside his bed, though the thing wasn't attached to him anymore. The 10-year-old could tell he'd woken up long after the sun had come up- stray rays of sunlight had started to peek through the dark curtains.

Billy yawned and moved to sit up, only to have pain spike in his abdomen and force him to lay back down. It was then that he noticed a mass at the end of his bed move, and he watched as Titus lifted his head and yawned before padding along the comforter to lay down beside the small boy. He thanked the gods this bed was massive.

The small raven yawned again, moving his hand along Titus's velvety ears. "You wouldn't believe the dream I just had, boy."

The dog started wagging its tail, making BIlly smile- he'd always liked dogs. "You think we can get away with a few more minutes of sleep?" he asked the animal, snuggling up on his good side and continuing to pet the dog gently. Titus continued to wag as Billy yawned.

"I agree- the only way we'll know is if we try," he said, shutting his eyes. "G'night, Titus."

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What'd you think? I think I did pretty well showing which god was which- (and if they weren't clear I named them lol)
> 
> Anywho, tell me your thoughts. I would love to hear them and would love to not have to run Billy over with a double-decker bus.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for that wait guys, exams and work have had me run ragged the past like, week, so I haven't had the time to finish this chapter until last night. 
> 
> Thanks for stickin' around and being patient though! Things are going to get very interesting very soon.

**"I agree- the only way we'll know is if we try," he said, shutting his eyes. "G'night, Titus."**

\- - -

The next week passed rather uneventfully. Billy managed to send in a message to the League saying that he'd be unavailable for a couple of days, so he didn't have to worry about meetings or monitor duty- Cyborg would fill him in on what he missed.

Still, it was weird to just lay in bed all day- it was definitely something he wasn't used to. He ended up playing a lot of videogames with Damien, oftentimes fighting ones where he would have his ass handed to him. He didn't really mind- Damien reminded him of Freddy with how competitive he was.

The rest of his time was spent with Jason and Alfred- Jason would come in an hang out with him or tell him about a case he was working on, maybe he'd tell him how he beat up a couple of crooks or fought alongside Batman- it was cool. Sure, he knew Batman personally as well, but Jason was from Gotham. He apparently used to be Robin from what he said, and though Billy hadn't been aware that there was more than one, it was cool to see what someone who had worked side-by-side with the Dark Knight thought of him.

Of course, there was plenty of complaining too- Jason had a tendency to, when he was telling stories, go off on tangents about how annoying someone was during a mission, be that Batman, Nightwing, Batgirl, or Robin. Billy always thought it was funny- they were almost like a family in a way. 

Whenever Jason and Damien weren't around, Alfred was often there to fill the space, bringing in a couple of books (or comics if Billy was lucky) and a cup of tea, sitting in the armchair beside the bed, (he'd had Jason help him move it in when the only thing in the room to sit on had been a couple of beanbags) and occasionally helping billy sound out a word. 

They talked about the weather, about animals, about history and science, things that BIlly had always been interested in, but had never really gotten a chance to investigate further. "We'll have to enroll you in school fairly soon," Alfred said on what Billy thought was Wednesday, not looking up from his novel about some rich man from the '20s who throws a big party but hides away from his guests the whole time.

"I haven't been to school since kindergarten," Bill said in reply, glancing up from his comic (one about Aquaman and Mera-- he loved Mera) with furrowed brows. "I don't know how to do a lot of stuff."

"Well from the looks of it, you're a very good reader," Alfred said, finally looking up from his book and thumbing a bookmark between the yellowed pages. "We can have you tested to see waht grade you should be in, and we can hire a private tutor to help you get to where you need to be."

The raven rubbed the back of his neck- from what he remembered, school was a lot of fun- getting to learn new things, meeting friends, eating lunch- he could at least give it a try.

"You may even be able to join Master Damien at Gotham Academy."

Billy's eyes widened. He could go to school with his new brothers?! How had that thought not even occurred to him?! Maybe he and Damien could have the same classes! They could sit together at lunch! He smiled widely, giving the butler an affirmative nod. "Sounds like fun!"

Alfred gave him a warm smile, standing up and closing his book completely before setting it down on the armchair. "I'll go get things prepared then," he said before leading the room.

Billy had spent the next two days more excited than he'd been in a long time- He gushed about it to Jason, who took it all in with a wry grin and a shake of his head as they sat side-by-side on the bed playing Mariokart. "Just don't let Damien push you around. He's a brat sometimes, and I have no idea how he acts when he's in school but I bet there's hardly a difference," he said as his character, a large dinosaur with a spiky shell, crashed because of a banana peel.

"Damnit- Bruce made him take at least three years of 'public' school, and he's only got two more before he can do private tutoring, so don't be surprised if he doesn't wanna be there," Jason continued as Billy's character, a little guy with a mushroom for a head, crossed the finish line.

"You know, for a kid who only recently discovered video games, you are way too damn good at them, Squirt," Jason said, ruffling the boy's hair. The bedroom door creaked open and Bruce stuck his head in, glancing between the two before looking at the large screen on the wall.

"Sorry to interrupt boys, but I was wondering if you would be interested in accompanying me to the mall to get Damien a birthday gift, Billy," he said, meeting the boy's eyes as he stepped fully into the room. He'd been expecting this- Jason and Dick had told him about this earlier in the week, but why did Mr. Wayne have an anxious look on his face? It was a little hard to see at first, but his left eyes wrinkled ever so slightly, and his hands were in his pockets.

He'd kind of taken Tim's words to heart when he'd said to take a closer look around him, and this had been the result. Bruce Wayne didn't really telegraph his emotions, but they were still there if you knew what to look for. Luckily, Billy was learning just that. He smiled, nodded before handing his controller to Jason. "Sure, Mr. Wayne," he said happily, sliding off the bed.

His stitches were healing much faster now- (thanks in part to the delayed healing spell he'd cast on himself) and it didn't hurt when he moved a lot. He could twist and turn, but he wasn't going to be doing any somersaults or cartwheels any time soon.

Thankfully, he was already dressed, so all he needed to do was slip his shoes on and go. He sat down and pulled out the new sneakers Dick had gotten for him, pulling them on and stuffing the laces inside. "Whoa whoa, hold on there Billy," Bruce said, walking over and kneeling down in front of the boy. "You need to tie those, son."

Billy blinked- he'd never tied shoes before. "I- I don't know how..." he mumbled, and Bruce's eyes took on a softer light.

"Here, let me show you," he said, sitting down on the carpet and untying one of his sleek black loafers. "First, you wanna grab the laces and tie them like this," he said, wrapping the strings around one another. Billy copied the action with his own long laces before watching him further.

"Then, you make a pair of loops, like bunny ears, see?" he said, looping the now-tied strings. "Then, you tie them the same way you did the first time."

Billy fumbled with his laces for a moment, struggling to get them to loop and come together before he huffed and started to pout. "I can't do it. Can't I just stuff them inside my shoe? That's what I've always done."

Bruce smiled softly and shook his head. "Unfortunately, learning to tie your shoes is something everybody has to learn at some point. It's alright if you don't get it the first try. Here, let me do it for you. You can try again next time," he said, leaning forward and tying Billy's shoes much faster than he'd just shown Billy how to. "There we go."

Billy stood and smiled- it was a little weird for his shoes to not feel like they could fall off at any moment, (denying him a projectile if he really needed one) but it was actually kinda nice. He gave Mr. Wayne a large smile as the man stood. "Alright, you ready?" he asked, to which the boy nodded. "Good- Jason, don't burn the place down while we're gone," he said to the young man still laying on Billy's bed, eyes locked on the screen full of racers.

"Mhm, sure B. Whatever you say," he muttered before ink splattered the screen and he groaned.

They left the manor with a goodbye to Alfred, Mr. Wayne climbing into the front seat of his bright red car while Billy climbed into the back. It was probably the nicest car Billy had ever been in, he thought as he buckled up. They left without much fuss, driving out of the long driveway and into the streets of Gotham.

\- - -

When Billy and Bruce arrived at the mall, there was a surprising lack of fanfare. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but Billy was sure that there'd be at least someone looking shocked at the sight of Bruce Wayne, CEO of Wayne Enterprises, walking around with some random kid in some random mall, but Gotham surprised him yet again.

Maybe Mr. Wayne took Jason, Dick, Tim, and Damien out like this often, and people just thought he was one of the others? That's the theory he'd run with for now. 

Billy followed the billionaire in the large glass doors that made up the main entrance, looking around the place in wonder. There were at least three stories to the building, with escalators all over the place and a pair of large glass elevators in the middle of it all. "Whoa..." he breathed, looking around.

Bruce grinned, glancing down at the boy. "Thought we might go somewhere different than where you, Dick, and Alfred went last week," he said.

"This place is huge... I think it's the biggest place I've ever been in..." Billy commented, choosing to ignore the fact that the Watchtower was definitely bigger and he'd been up there plenty of times- but everything just felt smaller when he was Cap.

"Why don't we start over here? There's a sword shop down this way," Bruce said, turning on his heel and leading the way down a large hallway. Billy followed suit, looking around him in awe. There was a store where you could build your own stuffed animals, another where you could buy large crystals and rocks, another that sold what looked like fake magical items, (they didn't give off any magical vibes, so Billy let it slide for now) and still another that sold what looked like pizza-sized chocolate-chip cookies. 

He followed Mr. Wayne into a shop that had swords displayed in the window, looking around the place but keeping close to the larger raven's side. "How are you, Kenneth?" Bruce started, striking up a conversation with the sandy blonde man behind the counter. Billy's eyes wandered around the store before spotting a long wooden staff hanging on the wall. 

It had intricate carvings along its base that traveled up the shaft of the staff, paint running along the carvings that encapsulated the boy. "What about that one, Mr. Wayne?" he asked, pointing at the staff on the wall. The billionaire glanced at him before looking at the wooden staff, and the man behind the counter chuckled.

"You've got quite the eye fer beauty, lad," Kenneth said, coming around the counter and kneeling beside the 10-year-old. "Legend says that there staff was carved from an ancient and mystical tree of legend- it was dipped in dragon's blood ta make it impervious to fire," he said with a wink.

"I'm sure it was- and it somehow ended up in Gotham Mall..." Bruce asked with a roll of his eyes, getting a look from the Irishman.

"Hidden in plain sight, sir. No one'd think ta look in _this_ of all places fer an artifact of that quality," Kenneth said with a smirk. "And fer such a hefty price," he glanced at the $8000 price tag, "That darlin' thing's not goin' anywhere."

Billy grinned at it- that must be why he'd been drawn to it. Now that he knew what to look for, he could feel the magic wafting off the staff in low, gentle waves. Nothing majorly powerful by any means, but he could still feel the magic that flowed through it. 

"And what if I bought it?" Bruce asked with a smirk, to which the Irishman turned and gave him a look.

"Now you might be one'a my best customers on the account of yer son, Mr. Wayne, but I can still refuse ta let ya buy somethin'," he said, coming back around the counter and leaving Billy to stare at the object in wonder.

He didn't think this staff could do anything overly powerful when it came to magic- it most it might add a small kick to someone's spells. If push came to shove, he could always come back as Marvel and get it, but for now, it was probably better where it was.

"Mr. Wayne, what do you think--" he didn't get his finish his question as the building suddenly began to shake violently, throwing the child to the ground and making the weapons around them rattle. Bruce was over top of him in seconds, guarding the body with his body and looking around at his surroundings.

The shaking stopped and dust fell from the ceiling. Bruce must have deemed it safe enough for Billy, as he moved so that the kid could sit up. "Are you alright?" he asked, gripping the boy's shoulders. Billy nodded, still rattled-- though whether that was from the building shaking or Mr. Wayne using his body as a shield for _Billy_ without a second thought, he wasn't sure.

"Good- stay here with Kenneth, I'm going to see if anyone's hurt," he said, standing up and running out of the shop. Billy watched him go before running a hand through his hair- this was crazy- but, it was also Gotham. Maybe this kind of thing happened a lot. 

"Aye, lad, are you alright?" Kenneth asked as he kneeled down beside the boy. "Anythin' hurt?"

Billy shook his head. "I- I should go help him."

"Yer pa's a grown man, lad- he can handle himself. He's likely goin' ta help others," the Irishman replied, looking at the entrance to the shop. "If anyone should be helpin', its me," he said, standing up. "You stay here, now, ya hear?" he said with a stern point before taking off as the building shook again.

Billy was knocked off his feet as dust rained down from the ceiling and the swords on the walls rattled around him. "Sorry, but that's not gonna happen," Billy said determinedly, taking off out of the store and into the fray.

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment. *vague threat to Billy's life*
> 
> I srsly love how that beginning came out- very satisfying to read and always nice to put down some cohesive words. Also, I love the slice of life vibe this chapter's got goin' on. (for the most part ;P )
> 
> ALSO-- I have only ever been to one sword vendor in my life, and it was in Scotland while I was in high school. The guy that made them had some really really beautiful swords, but because I was under 18, I couldn't buy one (they were like 600 or 700 pounds anyways so) but that's where I got the inspiration from. Bruce would probably know a "replica" shop that sold actual professional swords.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I literally wrote out this entire chapter, and them my god damn laptop decided to RESTART BEFORE I COULD FUCKING SAVE ANYTHING. SO I HAD TO RE-WRITE THE ENTIRE CHAPTER AFTER I ALREADY FUCKING RE-WROTE IT ONCE, AND I'M UNBELIEVABLY UPSET ABOUT IT. 
> 
> I was THIS close to throwing this entire fic out completely because of this.
> 
> Enjoy a shadow of the chapter's former self.
> 
> I'll be over here, being bitter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, wow, I meant to post this back in November but things got very hectic for me the last couple months of the year. I went out of the country for 2 weeks and got back 2 days ago and am currently sick, but I really want to finish this chapter for you guys before the new semester starts.
> 
> I may or may not be putting off writing an essay, but pssssssshhhhhh what else is new. 
> 
> Anywho, I'm also currently sick so let's see if I can finish this in a day. (Today is Jan. 7th BTW). (Also I had to re-read like, 3 whole chapters to remember my plan for this.)

**Billy was knocked off his feet as dust rained down from the ceiling and the swords on the walls rattled around him. "Sorry, but that's not gonna happen," Billy said determinedly, taking off out of the store and into the fray.**

\- - -

Billy ran out of the shop to find the mall fallen into mayhem around him. Support beams lay crumpled on the ground, concrete poised to fall and kick up massive clouds of dust. The large trees that had been planted as decor lay fallen in splinters on the ground, cracking the shiny tile on which they fell. 

People were running around in a panic around him, looking for loved ones, trying to get people to safety. He took off into the chaos, on a mission to find Mr. Wayne. Though he may have had faith that the billionaire could take care of himself, a superhero he was not. 

Billy managed to shove a large sign out of the way as he moved through the crumbling mall, the sounds of screams ringing in his ears. He had to find his foster father before anything happened to the man--

"Help!"

The raven paused. As focused as he was on his goal, he wasn't about to ignore a cry for help. He glanced around, trying to find the source of the cry. It sounded young, like a little girl almost. The girl started to cry, sending the boy's movements into overdrive.

He spun around, searching for the source of the voice. It sounded like it was coming from everywhere- maybe it was bounding off the debris and echoing back to him. "Where are you?! I can help you, just tell me what you see!" he yelled out through the chaos, a larger body slamming into his side as the person ran through the cloud of dust. The little girl said nothing, only continuing to cry. 

"Please, I know you're scared but I can help!" the boy cried out, instinct itching at him to shout out the Wizard's name and transform. There were too many people around, there was no telling who could see him change. He still had no idea where Mr. Wayne was, or if he was even okay, and now was not the time to complicate things by adding Cap into the mix. 

He couldn't just sit here any longer- that girl could be seriously hurt. Billy took off in the direction he thought the girl's crying was coming from, worn sneakers squeaking on the tile as he looked for her. Her voice echoed around him, confusing the boy as he came to a clearing. He saw a small clearing in the center of some rubble, hunched over and shaking. "Hey, hey it's okay- my name's Billy," he said, putting his hands out placatingly towards the figure he could barely make out through the thick dust.

The small girl's crying seemed to quiet for a moment, and the figure shifted. Billy felt a twinge of a smile play at the corner of his mouth before a sense of dread washed over him. The girl's crying morphed into a giggle. The small raven furrowed his brow and took a step back, swallowing thickly as the giggle became a manic, cracked cackle. "Wh-what-" he stammered, taking another shaky step back, only to bump into something solid.

He turned his attention towards whatever he'd bumped into, only to find that it was what looked like an oversized mallet. The word BAM was painted on the head of the massive hammer, yellow paint chipping slightly. Billy glanced up, towards the familiar mallet's owner. A petite blonde woman with dip-dyed blonde, black and red hair, grinned down at him, leaning on the stick part of the mallet.

"Well, ain't you a cutie?" she said, her squeaky voice making him tense. What- what was Harley Quinn doing here!? Wait...Harley... lately she'd fallen back into her old habits. That meant...

"Ain't he a cute one, Mistah J?" Harley continued, her eyes moving from Billy's towards another figure that appeared in the dust. This one walked up beside what Billy had thought was a little girl, picking it up in a single swoop and continuing his walk towards them. A pale man in a velvet suit strutted towards Billy and Harley, a large teddy bear clutched by the throat in his left hand. In his right was a long black cane, with a caricature of his moniker at the top. His dark green hair was slicked back, stray strands of hair sticking out at odd points and giving his head a frazzled look. Blood-red paint was smeared across the man's mouth, caking his skin from cheekbone to cheekbone.

Billy swallowed thickly as the man took another lanky step towards him, his dark eyes locked on the boy's. "A cute one indeed, Harley. The newest Wayne, by the looks of it," he said, his hand squeezing the teddy bear's neck hard enough to bust a seam. Harley lit up, a weird smile appearing on her face. 

"The one all them tabloids have been talkin' about?" she asked, before flipping over her mallet to stare at him upside-down. "He's cuter in person."

"And he should fetch a hefty sum from Wayne," the Joker said with a grin. Billy had started to tremble by this point, and the Joker narrowed his eyes slightly. "Who knows? Maybe the Bat will even get involved," he said with a malicious grin, to which Billy tensed. No! Batman couldn't get involved with something like this, he'd already had to try and hunt Billy down, if he had to come and try and save him, Billy would never forgive himself. 

"Oh, that struck a chord with you, didn't it kiddo?" Joker asked, crouching down so that he was eye-level with the boy. "Why's that? You a _fan?" _he asked with a grin of yellowed teeth. Billy wasn't going to cry. he'd faced villains way worse than the Joker. He wouldn't be afraid of this guy, he wouldn't--

"He sure is a brave one, huh Mistah J? No tears or nothin'." Harley piped up, tilting her head slightly as she leaned against her mallet.

"My thoughts exactly, Harley..." Joker said, his grin twitching before he suddenly reached out and picked Billy up by his throat. He heaved the boy up so that he was a good couple of feet above the ground, feet dangling as his much smaller hands clawed at the Joker's. 

He gripped his throat tightly, his eyes taking on a manic edge. "I thought you looked familiar. You're that bird brain, aren't you?" he growled, cane gripped tightly in his other hand as his fingers dug into Billy's skin. The 10-year-old gasped, choking and squirming in the larger man's grip. "No wonder you're not scared! You're a brat that works with Batman," he sneered, rolling his eyes with a small, crooked smile. 

Harley watched from behind him, a glint of concern in her eyes as she met Billy's eyes. 

The boy gasped for air, darkness playing at the edges of his vision. He couldn't speak, he could barely breathe- how was he supposed to say that no, he wasn't Robin, and yes, he was actually TERRIFIED?!

"I think you got me confused for someone else, crackpot," a voice came through the mist, one that made the Joker tense and his fingers dig further into Billy's neck. The small raven winced, eyes shutting tightly against the pain. "This kid could never be _me_. I don't know if I should be insulted or not," Robin said as he stepped through the dust, a sneer on his face and a katana in his hand.

Joker's dark eyes widened and his grip on Billy loosened, sending the boy hurtling towards the floor. He landed with a dull thud, his breath leaving him. He sputtered and coughed as blood dotted his neck and dark bruises began to appear on his pale skin. He barely noticed Robin begin to do acrobatics before something- or, well, someone swept him up and darted off. He caught a flash of red before darkness took over and he blacked out. 

\- - -

When he woke up, Billy found himself lying in a bed. Or, well, he assumed it was a bed- it felt more like a pile of beanbags, pillows, cushions, and blankets. His entire body was aching, and his throat was more than a little sore. He wheezed when he breathed, and his side was killing him.

The boy blinked open his eyes weakly and looked around, finding dark gray walls surrounding him, a thick black carpet spotted with white splotches, several weapons hung on the wall, and strangest of all, a pair of what looked like hyena statues standing with their backs to him.

He winced at the pain in his neck, sitting up slightly in the mess of pillows. This turned out to be a mistake, though, as the hyena statues started growling and turned to face him. Billy's eyes widened and he tensed- where was he and why was he about to get eaten alive?! 

The boy started to tremble, eyes wide as the animals took a step towards him. The door to the room suddenly slammed open, however, gaining the hyenas' attention instead. They ran towards whoever had opened the door, yapping and whining as a large wooden mallet was tossed half-hazardly into the room. Billy winced at the sound of the hammer slamming against the wall but kept his eyes trained on the doorway as Harley Quinn herself came into the room, her arms full of stuff.

"Oh good! You're awake, shortstack," she said, closing the door with her foot and shooing the hyenas away. "Brought some veggies back with me from Pa- uh- from Poison Ivy's place," she said, rummaging through the cardboard box she'd brought in that was now sitting on the edge of a table. "I think there's a carrot in here somewhere..." she mumbled, lighting up when she pulled the orange vegetable from the box and tossed it at him.

The carrot hit him right in the face, making Billy wince. Harley mirrored this, shutting an eye. "Oops, my bad, shortstack," she said, going back to rummaging.

"Where...w-why...?" Billy wheezed, his voice coming out in a pained croak as he attempted to sit up further. The hyenas growled at him, only to be hushed by Harley. "Bud, Lou, where's your manners? He's a kid! He don't even smell bad!" she said, wagging a finger at the pair and confusing the 10-year-old on the other side of the room.

"And to answer your question, kiddo, we're back at my place! Mistah J got kinda rough with ya," she said, kneeling down to ruffle one of the hyena's fur. "And then Robin showed up, and everything went kablooey," she continued, shrugging her shoulders. "I grabbed ya and ran before anyone else could."

Billy winced when he tried to sit up again. He'd probably pulled his stitches- Tim wouldn't be happy to hear that. "Yeah, I wouldn't move too much if I was you. That was one hell of a beatin' you took from Mistah J. I can't be sure but I think one of your ribs got knocked around a bit," Harley said, standing up and walking over to the boy. Billy flinched, eyes shutting tightly as she got closer.

"Whoa, calm down there shortstack, I ain't gonna hurt ya. I got a rule against hurtin' kids-- Mistah J, not so much."

Billy peeked open an eye to find her plucking the carrot off his chest and tossing it over her shoulder before fluffing one of the pillows. "We'll just get that ransom money from your new pops and you can be on your way, okay?" she said with a grin.

The raven swallowed thickly- Mr. Wayne didn't seem the type to pay ransoms. "H-how do y-you know he'll pay it?" he asked hoarsely, attempting to work past the soreness in his throat. Harley reached for a glass of water that was sitting on a nearby table and offered it to him.

He eyed it skeptically before taking it, meeting her eyes once more. "I mean I don't, but I did kinda pull you away before Mistah J could aim his pop gun at ya head, so Waynsey's gotta give me somethin' for that!" she beamed as Billy took a slow sip of the water. 

He swallowed and glanced down at his bruised hands. "W-what about Batman?" he asked softly. 

Harley shrugged. "I mean, as close as Mr. Wayne and Batsy might be, and I think there might be somethin' goin' on there if ya ask me," she said with a wink, "I think a ransomed kid might be below his pay grade."

Billy gripped the glass tighter. He wasn't sure if he wanted Batman to find him or not. He didn't want the man to constantly have to chase after him, especially since he knew how he was as a teammate, but it wasn't like he could just transform in front of Harley and have her tell the entire world who he was! Besides, how would he explain how he got free!? Billy sighed, his head plopping against one of the many pillows. He just wanted to go home.

Wait, since when did the Manor become home?

Billy shook the thought from his head and threw back the rest of the water, the cold feeling nice against his aching throat. "I'd bandage that, but I'm clueless when it comes to stuff like that, kiddo," Harley said, standing up again and taking the glass from his hands. "I'll getcha some more and then we can get to the theatrics!" she said excitedly before leaving the room.

Billy let out a small exhale, only to pause when she opened the door once more and glared at the pair of hyenas. "And you two, play nice!" she said before closing the door again.

Yeah, okay, he wanted Batman to come save him now.

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy, that's a doozy. I won't threaten Billy this time since he....uh... well, you know.
> 
> Short chapter, I know, but gimme some slack, I'm coming back from a slight hiatus and gotta ease myself back into this.
> 
> What did you guys think? Sorry for the delay, but ADHD makes it where my hyperfocus can only be on a certain thing for a period of time, and Cap, unfortunately, was not it during these past 2 months.
> 
> Also, I really needed a break from this since I was livid that so much of my time was wasted when this destroyed itself.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy & Harley.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, guys, I warned you, Tim Drake lore is not my thing. The most I know about him is from cartoons. and I know that he's the robin that became the mini joker in one of the cartoons, and the one with the J scar, so that's what he's got in this. 
> 
> Please just go with it...I know how Batman fans can be but just cut me some slack...

\- - -

**Yeah, okay, he wanted Batman to come save him now.**

\- - -

Jason paced in front of the bat computer anxiously, rubbing his wrists raw as he stared at the floor in front of him. Bruce had made a call for the demon brat but hadn't given them anything else- He, Dick, and Tim were waiting in the cave for them to get back. The young man grit his teeth- Robin being called into action could only mean trouble, which meant Batman was out and working, which meant that there was trouble. Where did that put Billy?

He paused and ran his hands through his hair roughly, a tight growl coming from his mouth. "This waiting is gonna kill me," he said, shooting a glare towards Tim, who was leaning nonchalantly against the Bat Computer's mainframe with a tablet in his hands. For some idiotic reason, Replacement was refusing to tap into security cameras for the mall, and was being cryptic as hell about his reasons. 

Dick was currently leaning against his arms at the desk, his head buried in his hands. They were all worried about the kid- well, maybe Tim wasn't, but it wasn't like he'd spent any time with the squirt, so what would he know. Jason piked up his helmet that he'd kicked a few minutes earlier, gripping it tightly. "I'm going to the mall." he grit out, walking past his brothers towards his motorcycle.

"Slow down, Todd. You're running around half-cocked. Batman and Robin can handle this," he said, giving the elder man a stern look.

Jason ripping his arm free of Tim's grasp. "Billy's out there, with them, and we have zero information on what's going on. I am _not_ letting that kid get hurt on our watch, replacement," he growled, shoving his helmet on his head. Tim rolled his eyes and let out a sigh.

"_Trust me_, Billy can handle himself, you idiot. Don't you have any self-control?"

"You know what, just cause he's a street kid, doesn't mean he can go toe-to-toe with someone like Penguin or Riddler," Jason growled back angrily, about to set off into a whole rant when the sudden sound of screeching tires caught the trio's attention.

Three heads turned towards the entrance to the cave, where headlights were quickly approaching. That wasn't a good sign, unless Bruce told Billy who he really was. Jason tensed, pulling off his helmet and holding it tightly in one hand.

Bruce climbed out of the Batmobile and pulled off his cowl, walking swiftly past the boys and sitting down in the chair Dick had previously been. His fingers moved across the keys and a map of Gotham appeared on the screen as Damien climbed out of the car and jogged after the man to stand behind him.

"Where's-"

"We think one of the Joker's henchmen got him." Bruce said, his words clipped and emotionless. Jason knew that tone- he was worried, _genuinely_ worried. Jason felt the pit of his stomach sink, and he dropped his helmet on the floor with a clatter. Dick put a hand on his shoulder and glanced at their father. 

"What happened...?"

Bruce stayed quiet, so Damien glanced back at them. "Joker and Harley Quinn. They attacked the mall Father and Billy were at. Joker thought Billy was me, so Father called me in to distract him. We think one of his henchmen swooped him up before father could get to him."

"You..." Jason breathed, staring at Batman with wide eyes. "You lost him..." he breathed, his voice cracking as he brought a hand up to his head. "He- he doesn't... Billy..." he swallowed thickly. He glanced at Tim, who had put his tablet away and was staring at the screen. He caught sight of the small, light scar on his cheek in the shape of a J, a reminder that he hadn't been quick enough, hadn't been there for his brother when Tim had needed him.

Jason's hand curled into a fist. "We have to find him," he said determinedly, his voice resolute. Bruce glanced back at him before looking back at the screen.

"Working on it."

"There should be some kind of tracker in his clothes unless he somehow found them and took them out," Damien said, getting a look from Tim. "What, I don't check where he goes, I just know that they're there. Blame Pennyworth for sewing them in, not me."

"Got something," Bruce interrupted the boy, the rest of the bat clan crowding around him to look at the large screen. "Some kind of warehouse in lower Gotham."

"Let's go get him then," Jason said, picking up his helmet and putting it on. Bruce nodded once, standing up from the computer and walking towards the Bat Mobile. "Be on guard- we have no idea what we're walking into."

"Bats, we're going to save Billy. Nothin's gonna stop us from getting that kid back," Dick said, patting the taller raven on the shoulder as he jogged by and clambered onto the back of Jason's motorcycle.

\- - -

Billy sighed and leaned back in the beanbag pile- something that made his throat ache and his side pound. The hyenas turned their attention towards him, eyeing the 10-year-old with malice. He really hoped they were trained... he'd transform if he really needed to, but he didn't wanna beat up some poor animals- they didn't know the difference between right and wrong.

Thankfully, the hyenas didn't do much more than that, deeming him as not a threat and curling up beside one another to fall asleep. The small boy let out a breath of relief before glancing around the room. He couldn't move very well without pain overwhelming his senses, which Harley must have known would happen since she didn't bother to tie him up. The simple act of twisting his body slightly to look from some kind of window to bolt from had him breathing heavily- not a good sign if he was gonna try and escape.

Before he could do much of anything else, Harley burst through the door again, water glass in hand and pushing what looked like an old and beat-up wheelchair. Billy blinked, tilting his head slightly at it as the crazy lady shut the door with her foot and skipped over to him. "Here ya go, kiddo- you drink that, and we'll getcha into this. Then we tie you up, make a video, and bam, Harley's rollin' in the dough!" she said with a giggle, handing him the glass.

Harley was... a weird one, to say the least. She was a strange mixture of a chaotic older sister and crazy, crack-dealing neighbor-- to be honest, she kind of reminded Billy of some of the people back home he'd lived by. All good people at heart, but they had their quirks. Harley's, it seemed, was baby-talking a pair of toothy hyenas and tying her injured captive to a wheelchair since he couldn't very well walk. 

Billy threw back the water and sat up slightly- he was kind of interested in seeing where this was going, in a morbid sort of way. With any luck, she didn't even have anything to record a ransom message on.

Harley picked the boy up fireman style, plopping him down in the old wheelchair and squealing excitedly as she wheeled him out of the small room and into a much larger one. It looked like they were in some kind of warehouse- and that he'd been knocked out for a while since the sun was gone and moonlight was currently streaming through some of the broken windows in the skylight.

Harley wheeled him to a specific spot in the room with a large red X painted sloppily on the ground before taking a few bouncy steps back and using her hands to make a frame and look at him through them. "Hmm... you don't look pitiful enough, shortstack," she said, glancing around for something. "Rope really goes to make it look like a dangerous hostage situa...AHA!" she said, running and grabbing some thick black cords from the ground. 

"This should do the trick. We'll just tie ya up and when I get that cash, Mistah J'll be all, 'Oh Harley, you're so wonderful!'" she said, kneeling down beside him and tying the cords around his body while making kissy noises. "I do love you Harley, I do! I just don' know how to express my stupid emotions~!" she continued, making the boy's eyebrows furrow slightly. 

Seriously, what was her thing with the Joker? He'd only really fought them once as Cap, but when he had, he'd seen here get smacked across the face by the clown prince for not taking a literal bullet for him. Billy had seen his share of abusive relationships, and, even though she was a villain, he felt that even Harley didn't deserve to be treated like that. He thought she'd been doing better lately- Flash told him something about crime in Gotham, at least from people like her and Poison Ivy, had been calm, which had made Batman more paranoid than usual.

When he'd asked why the speedster had told him it had to do something with Ivy of all people being a positive influence on her. 

He looked at her now, though, as she finished tying him up, and couldn't help but feel bad for her. "Do you love him?" he asked, tilting his head slightly as she finished and stood up. Harley furrowed her brow and gave him a questioning look. "Mister Joker, I mean..." he mumbled, ducking his head.

Harley blinked, biting down hard on her lip before giving him a look. "What kinda questions is that, 'course I do kid..." she said, though she didn't sound very sure of herself. Billy made eye contact with her, tilting his head slightly. "I- Yeah. I mean, who would I be without him? Mistah J made me who I am today...he- he..." she trailed off, brow furrowed in thought. Billy watched her as the hyenas at her waist began to whine.

This snapped her out of her train of thought, as she crouched down to ruffle their fur and coo at them. "Mommy's ok babies! Let's uh- let's go find mommy's phone and we can film that ransom video," she said, walking off into the warehouse. Unfortunately, the place was fairly dark, so Harley walked into the darkness with Bud and Lou and left Billy seemingly alone. Billy let out a small breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding- this was all much weirder than anything he's experienced before.

Sure, he'd only been kidnapped once, but that'd been much scarier than this. Maybe it was because Harley said she wouldn't kill him, or maybe it was just that Billy could tell she was so scatterbrained at the moment that she couldn't do much damage. He swallowed thickly and maneuvered his arms around so that they were behind his back, rather than at his sides. He started working at the clumsy knots in the cables, brow furrowed in concentration. 

There was a flick of shadows above him, and the boy glanced up. He tensed as the sight of movement, freezing in place with his fingers locked onto the knot at his back. He stared at a single point in the room, waiting for something to move in his peripherals. When it did, his head snapped in that direction, his breath shaky.

"Whoa whoa, its alright squirt," a familiar voice said, and the tension in Billy's spine melted. Jason came out of the shadows like an eldritch being, melting into the light with practiced ease. "Got yourself in a bind?" he asked, coming over carefully to the boy and beginning to untie him. 

"I- I- y-yeah. Harley Quinn, she-"

Jason tensed behind him. "Did she hurt you?" he asked, his fingers moving faster to untie the messy knots. Billy shook his head, and some of the tension left Jason's shoulders.

"No, she- she just wanted me for a ransom..." he said as Jason got the last knot undone and the cables fell to the ground unceremoniously. 

"That doesn't sound like Harley Quinn to me," a much deeper voice said as a large figure emerged from the darkness. The Dark Knight made Billy tense on instinct, and he averted his gaze as he tried to get out of the old wheelchair. The boy winced in pain, a small noise of pain coming from his mouth as he fell back into the old leather seat. He noticed Batman's fist clench tightly, which didn't that just make him feel great- he was frustrating Batman.

Jason kneeled down beside him, lifting the boy's arm to look at the stitches that he most definitely pulled loose again. "Damnit, kid, what are we gonna do with you..." he said with a shake of his head. 

Billy let his head fall before he was scooped up by Jason. He met the whites of Jason's mask and felt tears brim in his eyes. "Please don't tell Mister Wayne..." he whimpered, burying his face in Jason's chest and clutching to him like his life depended on it. Jason glanced at Batman, who had turned his head to avoid the boy's gaze.

"It's alright, shortstack, no need for waterworks," he said, hushing the boy gently. Billy sniffled and rest his cheek on Jason's shoulder, only to see Nightwing step out of the darkness behind him.

"No goons, no cameras, no traps. We should be good to go," the man said, before meeting Billy's eyes. His composure fractured, biting his lip hard and going to take a step towards him and Jason- only to be tugged backward by a man in a red, yellow and black costume.

_"Nightwing,"_ he said as a warning, as if reminding the hero of something. The man took in a big breath, looking Billy over before shaking it off and composing himself.

"Right, uh- as I said, we should be good to go."

Batman nodded once. "Good. Let's get Billy in the Batmobile. Robin should be-"

"And just where do you lot think you're goin'?"

Harley's voice echoed through the large room, and five heads snapped towards her. A low growl came from her feet as Bud and Lou made themselves known, snarling at the men (and Billy). Harley had a wooden bat in her hands with nails and screws driven through the end; something that'd really hurt if you got smacked with it.

"I need that kid, Batsy," she said in a sing-song voice- one that sounded very different from how she'd sounded earlier when it had been just them two. "He's my golden ticket with Wayne."

Jason shifted Billy against him, his grip tightening slightly. "Red Hood, get him out of here. Nightwing, Red Robin and I have this handled," Batman said, glancing at the pair before locking eyes with Harley. Jason nodded once before turning heel and bolting. Snarls ripped through the air and Billy watched over Jason's shoulder as chaos ensued behind them.

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Low-down on Timmy for this universe-- He was captured by the Joker when he was Robin and turned into the mini joker from the cartoon series, but instead of dying (i think he dies in the cartoon at least, been a while since I saw it) he ends up with the infamous scar/brand in the shape of a J on his cheekbone.
> 
> Both Bruce and Jason blame themselves for not being able to save Tim in time to keep him from all that psychological drama, and Jason still harbors that guilt, though Bruce has learned to forgive himself (for the most part).


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things happen. :3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof... sorry this update took so long guys- I had a real hard time thinking of anything for this. I also had kind of a fallout with Cap and lost interest for a good couple months there-- so sorry about that.
> 
> Still not sure where I'm gonna take this fic- kinda making it up as I go, so we'll see where this take us!
> 
> Anywho, enjoy!

\- - -

**Jason shifted Billy against him, his grip tightening slightly. "Red Hood, get him out of here. Nightwing, Red Robin and I have this handled," Batman said, glancing at the pair before locking eyes with Harley. Jason nodded once before turning heel and bolting. Snarls ripped through the air and Billy watched over Jason's shoulder as chaos ensued behind them.**

\- - -

Jason managed to get Billy out of the building without much trouble, shattering a window and managing to get him to the Batmobile without much jostling. They paused for a moment as Jason sat Billy down in the backseat of the armored car. Gunshots rang out through the air, making the pair flinch. Jason glanced back towards the building before looking back at Billy. "Stay here," he said, shutting the car door before taking off back towards the old warehouse.

Billy gripped his side tightly- blood was had started to seep out of the wound due to all the jostling- and gripped the door handle with his other hand. He pushed it open, only to have a small figure land in front of him, pointing a sword mere inches from his face. 

Strangely enough, it reminded him of something Damien would do.

The raven's eyes widened and he yelped, wincing in pain before realizing that it was Robin standing in front of him. "You are supposed to stay in the car," the boy wonder growled out, which for some reason, also sounded oddly familiar to Billy- maybe it was the bloodloss?

Nevertheless, the boy was currently keeping him inside the Batmobile with the tip of his sword, glaring at him through a domino mask. "Stay put," he said before sheathing his sword and bolting towards the warehouse.

Billy watched him leave, glancing down when a sharp pain shot through his abdomen. Blood had already been seeping through his shirt, but now it was really flowing. The cloth around his side was wet, and matted against his skin. His side felt like it was on fire, and his vision was getting dizzy.

"Ba...baman..." he slurred, the warehouse multiplying in his vision as things started getting much too hazy for his liking. "Jay..." he mumbled, a small whimper of pain coming out of his mouth as tears bead in his eyes. This wasn't the worst injury he'd sustained before, but something inside him was telling him that there was something that made this all much worse. He couldn't stop the tears welling in his eyes- not from pain, but from fear. 

"I wan' my dad..." he mumbled softly, his voice shaking as he slumped against the seat of the Batmobile. Blood was trickling down his side and dotting the dark material of the seat- he hoped Batman wouldn't be mad.

"...illy?!"

"Oh God-"

"-im home, NOW!"

There was the sharp sound of screeching tires, and Billy felt pressure against his side. "Hold on kid, hold on-" Was that Jason? It sounded like Jason...

"God Damnit Bruce!" 

Where was Bruce...? Was he in the Batmobile? None of this made sense.

"Stay awake, kiddo, you gotta stay awake."

But it all hurt so much...

"Billy, please..."

He whimpered in pain. He tried staying awake, really he did, but the darkness was so welcoming. "Shuz..." he mumbled, a weak last attempt at trying to gain control over what was happening.

He slipped into unconsciousness as more pressure was put against his side.

The car sped up.

\- - -

Billy woke to the dull thrumming of fan blades, a low sound coming from his right. Without opening his eyes he could tell the room was dark- or at least low-lit, since there wasn't a piercing veil against his eyelids. Where was he? What happened?

The small boy shifted slightly, moving his head against a soft pillow. A spark of pain shot through his side, making him whimper and someone, he had no idea who, move through the room. "I thought you gave him pain medication," a voice said, low and full of concern.

"I did, sir, to the best that I could. Without taking him to an actual hospital, I could only do so much." another voice, one with a distinctly British accent.

"This is all my fault."

"Sir, you mustn't blame yourself. No one could have seen this coming," the second voice said, coming closer to the bed. Billy felt the covers over him shift slightly as they were pulled up more to cover his shoulders. "I'm sure the boy doesn't blame you."

"This is why I wanted him upstairs. Alfred I can't- I can't lose a kid. Not again. Billy doesn't deserve this. Maybe..." There was shuffling. "Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe Billy never should have come to Gotham in the first place..."

What...?

"Master Bruce, try to think reasonably about this. You can't let one incident dictate-"

"It's one incident now, but what about later on? We've already had to postpone his official debut another week, and what's gonna happen once everyone knows he's part of the family? He doesn't have Damien's training, he can't take care of himself."

"Master Bruce..."

"Alfred I... I can't. I don't want to see him hurt." The voice was moving. Billy heard the clicking over a door handle and the creak of old wood. "I- I just-" a sigh. "I need some time to think."

The door closed, and Billy felt a weight settle onto his chest. It felt like a stone had been dropped into his heart, and no amount of squirming was going to dislodge it. That had to be Mr. Wayne. Did- Did he not want him anymore?

Billy opened his eyes slowly, blinking away the soft light and trying to get his bearings. "Mmh..." he winced, turning his head slightly to find Alfred sitting in a chair beside his bed, a hand to his eyes as he thought.

"Af..?" he slurred, getting the elder man's attention. Alfred tensed, standing up quickly.

"Billy, goodness- you're awake," he said, looking the 10-year-old over. "Are you feeling alright?" 

Billy's cast was cast downward. Maybe it was best that Mr. Wayne didn't want him... this was never supposed to be a permanent thing anyway. He nodded slowly, and Alfred gave him a concerned look. "I'd like..." he cleared his throat, pain flaring in his chest in the process. "...to be alone, p-please..." he said softly. Alfred let out a soft sigh, nodding once before opening the door. 

It was only now that Billy realized he was in his bedroom- the sound of the door clicking closed echoed throughout the room. He laid back in bed, trying to ignore the pain in his side and the general dizziness fogging his head. Billy glanced at the side table next to his bed, furrowing his brow at the sight of Tawky Tawny sitting against the lamp. 

Except- there was something different about the stuffed toy. For one, the messy stitching that had previously kept its left arm attached to the torso was replaced with a much more-professional looking stitch and wasn't done in bright red ribbon. Not only that, it looked like the tiger had been washed, too. Billy reached for it, picking the plush up and holding it tight to his chest. Tawny hadn't felt like this since he was little.

Alfred had to have been the one to stitch Tawny up- it only made sense. He sniffled softly, snuggling against the large pillow at his back with glossy eyes. If he was honest with himself, he didn't want to leave the manor anymore- he liked having company always around, he liked spending time with Damien and Jason, he even liked the challenge of trying to hide his identity from the rest of the household. Alfred's cookies and caring nature, Dick's overprotectiveness, Tim and the fact that he kept his identity a secret-

Tears welled in his eyes; he didn't want to go, and now he was going to be kicked out. Billy hugged Tawny closer to his chest, a small hiccup erupting from his mouth and making his chest spasm. He ignored the bloom of pain it brought, rubbing his eye roughly with his palm in an attempt to make the tears go away. He'd never intended to be a burden to Mr. Wayne, never wanted him to worry about him.

Billy sat up slightly, careful of his side and tried to control his unsteady breathing. His bedroom door creaked open, and he opened his mouth to tell Alfred that he still wanted to be alone-- only to see Jason poking his head through the crack. Billy sniffled, trying to wipe away his tears as Jason let himself further into the room. "J-Jay-" he mumbled, his bottom lip quivering as Jason closed the door behind him and came closer to the bed.

"How ya feelin' kid...?" Jason said slowly, taking up the empty seat Alfred left behind. Billy stayed quiet, casting his eyes downward and continuing to sniffle. "You in pain?" he continued, and Billy shook his head slowly. Jason sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You wanna talk about what happened...?"

Billy hugged Tawny even tighter and the larger man let out a breath. "That wasn't your fault, you know," he said, scooting his hair closer in an attempt to get the boy to look at him. "You couldn't've prevented what happened." When Billy said nothing, Jason let out a sigh. "What's wrong, kid? It's obviously something, so just talk to me."

The boy felt tears prick in his eyes again. "I- I overheard Mr. Wayne..." he mumbled against Tawny's soft plush. Jason paused, his muscles tense. "W-when he thought I was asleep...he.. he said he didn't think I ever shoulda come here..." he mumbled, unable to stop the tears from trickling down his cheeks. He wasn't sure why it hurt so much to think about- plenty of foster homes before this one hadn't wanted him around. 

But this one... he'd hoped this one would be different.

Hiccups erupted from the 10-year-old, and Jason scooped him up quickly. He held the boy to his chest and shushed him, holding Billy as he buried his face in Jason's hoodie. "Hey, hey, its okay, kiddo..." he trailed off, glancing towards the doorway of the bedroom. "Calm down kid, you gotta breathe..." he said, pulling out his phone and tapping on the screen as he held the boy. 

Breathe? How could he? It felt like his life was crumbling apart in his hands, and there was nothing he could do about it. Billy glanced towards the door when it opened again, only to see Dick coming into the room with a worried expression. He caught sight of Billy and nearly ran to the bed. "Hey, hey, hey, what's goin' on-" he said as Jason allowed him to take hold of Billy. "What was the emergency, Jay?"

"I have to skin a mammal, that's the emergency," Jason growled, to which Dick's eyes widened. He glanced down at Billy, who's head was buried in his chest, before meeting Jason's eyes again.

"You can't be serious," he said, a hand rubbing Billy's back gently. "What happened?" Jason ignored him, choosing instead to open the bedroom door and slam it behind him. "Goddamnit, Jason," he growled to himself. Billy had started to calm down, and Dick let out a sigh. "Alright, alright... what's goin' on, Bluebird?"

"' M sorry..." the boy mumbled against Dick's shirt. The larger raven furrowed his brow at the mumbling.

"What- what could you possibly be sorry for, bluebird?" he asked softly, running his fingers gently through Billy's hair. The boy leaned into the touch slightly, his plush tiger still held tightly against his small frame. "For- for being a nuisance... I- I never meant to be in Mr. Wayne's way."

Dick's shoulders dropped, and he let out a sigh- so that's why Jason had run off. "You're not a nuisance, Billy. We love having you here," he said, tipping the boy's chin up so that he'd look him in the eyes. "Whatever Bruce said, I'm sure you took it out of context. Trust me when I say that he would-"

"Billy, I'd never want to get rid of you,"

The voice came from behind them- the pair turned to see Bruce standing in the door, breathing heavily and looking at Billy with slightly panicked eyes. "I- look, I- I think we need to talk, just you and me, okay?" he said, to which Billy lowered his eyes. Dick tipped his head back up to look him in the eyes before motioning with his head towards the billionaire.

"Give him a chance," he breathed, setting the 10-year-old down on the mattress and walking towards the door. A still very angry Jason came into view, glancing between Bruce and Billy before Dick managed to corral him out of the bedroom and close the door behind him. Bruce ran a hand through his hair and took a moment to collect himself, watching Billy fidget under the covers and lean back against his pillow.

The man walked over and took the seat Dick had been in, letting out a soft breath. Billy was refusing to meet his gaze, holding his tiger tightly. "Billy..." he started, only to realize he wasn't sure what he wanted to say. "I- Look, I didn't realize you were awake, son, I just-"

"Don' call me that..." Billy mumbled, his voice watery. 

"What?" Bruce furrowed his brow.

"Don' call me son like you mean it..." Billy mumbled, and Bruce could have sworn he saw a tear spill down the young boy's cheek. "Y-You- don' have to pretend, Mr. Wayne..."

Bruce blinked, shock overtaking his features. Billy thought he didn't mean it when he called him his son? Sure, he'd only been there for as little over a week, but Bruce had thought the boy had adjusted just fine to the manor. He got along with the boys and sure, there was an air of uncertainty surrounding him and whether or not he was a meta or had magic, but he'd thought that Billy had started to come to think of the place as home. "I'm not pretending, Billy," he said sincerely, leaning over in an attempt to get the boy to look at him.

The much smaller raven did just that, cornflower eyes mirroring one another. The boy sniffled and rubbed at his eye with his palm, a small hiccup making his small frame jolt. "I mean it when I say that," Bruce continued, thankful the boy would look at him now. "I've really enjoyed having you here. I know we haven't really spent a lot of time together but... I..." he trailed off. Was he really gonna do this? This was a monumental secret, something only a select few knew. Billy was still staring at him, though his gaze had turned from mistrusting to quizzical-- he really could be a Wayne. 

A small smile graced Bruce's face at the thought. If he was going to entrust another person with this information, it was going to be Billy. He was sure of it. "Billy, I... I haven't been fully truthful with you." he started, sitting back slightly in his chair. How was he supposed to do this? The last time he'd come completely clean without someone else finding out who he was was with Dick. That'd been many, _many_ years ago by now- he sighed.

"What do you mean...?" Billy asked, head tilted slightly to the side in question. His grip on the plush loosened as he stared at the billionaire- his expression was so open, so vulnerable. Billy held nothing back when it came to his emotions- he was genuine in that, even if he had his secrets. Funny enough, it reminded him of that blasted Captain- both of them were so open and genuine with how they felt, while still managing to stay so cheery and put a positive spin on things. 

Bruce sighed. Just come out with it, Bruce. This is Billy- this is your son, so act like it.

"I'm Batman."

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RELINQUISH YOUR COMMENTS TO ME SO THAT I MAY FEAST UPON THEIR WORDS AND LIVE ON.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy doesn't know what to think.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yall enjoy that cliffhanger? 
> 
> *round of booing ensues* 
> 
> Ah, yes, a lovely song you're singing there. 
> 
> Enjoy!

\- - -

**"I'm Batman."**

\- - -

Billy blinked. He didn't hear that right, did he? No, no that wasn't possible. Someone was playing a cruel prank on him, messing with his hearing like that. The 10-year-old wasn't sure of much in his life- he knew that the sky was blue, he knew there was good deep down in everyone, he knew that Bruce Wayne, his new foster father, was NOT Batman. There- there were too many differences, right? This had to be some kind of joke.

_This couldn't be possible._

Bruce was staring at him- assessing him. His gaze was calculating- almost like- 

No. No- Bruce wasn't Batman. He _couldn't_ be. He- He had a company to run, important business things to do. 

But... he did have a direct line with the League somehow. Bruce also had ties to Batman- the Dark Knight had been _inside_ the manor. Batman had singled Billy out and come to rescue him on more than one occasion. He'd seen the worry flash in Batman's eyes the night he'd come to save him from Harley. He'd seen Bruce's willingness to put himself in danger when the mall was being attacked. He'd seen the man trying to cover up injuries on his arms when he'd come into his bedroom before.

But Bruce- he- he was so different from Batman. Batman was cold, analytical, to the point. He knew what he wanted, he knew how to get it- He was the World's Greatest Detective and didn't trust Captain Marvel as far as he could throw him. Bruce was kind, even if he was distant, and he'd never seen Batman laugh like the billionaire. Billy didn't even think Batman _could_ laugh if he was honest.

This- this was too much. He needed proof. He needed something concrete, something he could touch- 

Was Bruce always holding that cowl?

Billy's eyes widened. It felt like his heart skipped a beat at the sight of the dark mask sitting in Bruce's hands. The billionaire held it out to him, and Billy took it gingerly. This wasn't some cheap latex rip off- this had to be the real deal. He rubbed a thumb over the graphite shell, his fingers trembling as they ran over the grooves and lines of _Batman's cowl_. He glanced up at Bruce with wide eyes, but the man said nothing. His face gave nothing away- it was carefully neutral, and though he'd never fully seen the man's face when he'd done this, Billy would know that expression anywhere.

"No..." he breathed, swallowing thickly. The mask fell from his hands and landed on the covers. Bruce glanced down at it before meeting Billy's eyes again- there was concern there."No- no..." he mumbled, unable to stop the tears from coming to his eyes.

Everything was going to fall apart now. There was no way he could stay here now, no way he'd be able to sneak past Batman again, either he had to leave or his time as Captain Marvel was over-

"Billy, breathe- you have to breathe," Bruce was standing now, hands out placatingly towards him. The boy took a deep breath, panic still edging at his senses as he stared up at Bruce with wide eyes. "Calm down, son, it's okay- I'm not gonna hurt you," Bruce continued, not moving any closer, but not moving any further away either. He stayed where he was, eyes staring into Billy's, trying to convey some aura of calm.

"I- I-" Billy stammered, scrabbling to grab hold of Tawny and hug the plush tightly to his chest. This was far from okay, how was he going to get out of this? Tears were beading down his cheeks by this point, but Billy's mind was too frazzled to even think of rubbing them away. Bruce's shoulders fell, and he took a step back. 

"Look, Billy, I-" he paused, letting out a breath. "I'm not going to hurt you. I just- I just wanted you to know that-" Bruce swallowed thickly, like he was having trouble coming up with the words he wanted to say. "I needed you to know who I really was. I don't want us keeping secrets from one another, okay? I-" the billionaire rubbing the back of his neck, glancing towards the ceiling before meeting Billy's eyes again. 

"I want you here, Billy. I want you in the manor. We all do- the boys- they love having you here." Bruce said, his face more open and vulnerable than Billy had ever seen. "I want you to feel safe here, I want you to be able to come to me with anything, any problem you might have."

"I know that this is a big pill to swallow, but I would _never_ hurt you, Billy. Not as Batman, or as myself. I know you haven't had the best time in foster homes, but I want you to know that you're safe here. We'll be your family if you'll allow us to be."

Billy stayed quiet. What was he supposed to say to that? Something in the back of his mind, something cynical and dark told him that Bruce didn't mean that, they never meant it- he shook the thought away. He _wanted_ to believe him. Billy wanted to believe the man so so badly- if he was honest with himself, he was tired of running, tired of barely scraping by. He wanted to believe that Bruce meant what he said, but- 

How fast would that change know he knew who Billy _really_ was?

Billy's gaze dropped as he rubbed the tears from his cheeks. None of this felt real, his head was a haze... he needed to think. 

"I..." he started, his voice rough. "I need to be alone, p-please..." he mumbled, unable to meet the billionaire's eyes. He could see out of his peripherals that Bruce's shoulders dropped slightly, but he nodded and stood. Billy glanced up at him as he turned to leave, watching him go to the door and close it gently behind him. Billy drew in a sharp, shaky breath, shutting his eyes tightly and clinging to Tawny like a lifeline.

The bedroom door opened again- why couldn't anyone leave him alone? Tim poked his head inside, neutral expression on his face as he closed the door behind him and walked towards the bed. The elder of the two stayed quiet, glancing at the boy on the bed before taking a seat in the chair. He crossed his legs and leaned back, staring up at the ceiling in silence.

"Looks like Jason stuck glow stars to your ceiling," he said after a moment, gaining the boy's attention. Billy glanced up, finding plastic glow in the dark stars sticky-tacked to the ceiling. He sniffled, staring up at them. A small laugh came from his chest as he rubbed at his eye. Tim glanced at him with a small smile. "Considering he hates those things, I think that's pretty big," he said.

Billy met his gaze before dropping it to the covers.

"So Bruce told you the family secret, huh?" Tim asked, tilting his head slightly. Billy met his eyes again- how'd he know that? Tim simply grinned and winked at the boy. "Nothing gets past me, Billy, best you know that now." The 10-year-old blinked, sitting back slightly against his pillow and glancing up towards the air vent in the ceiling. "Yeah, that's part of it," Tim said with a snort.

"Look, I know that this revelation is...game-changing. Especially for you. Bruce... he... he's not the best with emotions. But trust me, if he told you _that_ secret, then he considers you family, kid. Nothing'll change that- not even a bright red spandex suit and lightning powers," Tim continued with a grin.

"I... I can't tell him, Tim... I- I-"

"I'm not saying you have to, Billy. That's your secret identity, everyone's got a right to that- but you gotta realize that even if he did know, nothing would change."

Billy met Tim's eyes, letting out a shaky breath. "But the no-meta rule, he- he-"

"When has that ever stopped someone like Superman from showing up?"

The boy blinked. "But he's _Superman!_" he said, eyes wide as he stared at his older foster brother. "You- You- you couldn't stop him even if you wanted to!"

Tim smirked, shaking his head. "Kryptonite does exist in your world, right?" he asked with a chuckle. "That's beside the point though. The only reason Bruce has that rule is because he doesn't wanna be shown up. If criminals think that Batman can't take care of his own city, they'll get reckless. Fear goes a long way to keep the bad guys in line, trust me," he said, folding his hands behind his head.

"Wait how would you..." Billy furrowed his brow, calculating expression appearing on his face. His eyes widened and he pointed an accusing finger at the elder raven. "You're a hero too, aren't you?" he asked softly. Tim just smiled, shrugging his shoulders and making Billy roll his eyes. 

"Now you're gonna tell me Dick and Damien are too, huh," Billy said, shaking his head. When Tim stayed quiet, he looked at him, only to find the teen checking out his nails. "WHAT?!" he practically yelled, his head instantly snapping towards the bedroom door. When it didn't open, he let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "I- I mean..." he furrowed his brow. 

"I _did_ tell you to take a closer look at your surroundings, didn't I?" Tim asked with a smirk.

Billy swallowed thickly- the sword. _Damien's_ sword. The sword that was held at his neck-- the boy that held it--

"I'm gonna kill him," Billy said with narrowed eyes, getting a chuckle from Tim. "Damien held a sword to my throat, _knowing_ who I was!" he said frustratedly, huffing and making his side ache.

"Slow down there, Billy. Take a breath. Damien's threatened all of us with that sword, you'll get used to it," he said with a smirk, glancing at BIlly's side before getting up from his seat and walking around to the boy's other side and checking his stitches. "I hope you know you're on house arrest, by the way. No Cap, no nothing. These stitches are gonna heal this time, and they're gonna heal right, you got that?" Tim asked, dropping the boy's shirt. 

Billy gave him a furrowed brow before letting out a sigh. "Fine..." he mumbled, crossing his arms. "But I can't stay in this bed forever."

"I didn't say forever- I'll get Alfred to whip up an energy shake for ya. Bruce drinks them after he has a rough night, so I think they'll help you out," Tim said as he made his way back towarsd his chair. "Though I'm sure you can do some kind of magic to speed that healing process up, right?"

Billy leaned back against his pillow and followed Tim with his eyes- sure, he knew tons of magic as the Captain, but as Billy... well, he wasn't very well-versed in ancient Greek. He knew a simple healing spell to speed up the process of course, along with some things to do with static charge, but he wasn't sure how _Tim_ knew that. "Y-Yeah," he said softly, thumbing the edge of his blanket. 

"Right- you do that, and I'll go get that shake," Tim said as he stood up. The teenager stretched before ruffling the boy's hair good-naturedly. "I mean it, Billy, you better be here when I get back. If the power goes out I'll know who the culprit is," he said with a wink before leaving the room and shutting the bedroom door softly.

Billy let out a sigh- he wasn't sure what he'd done to deserve this, but it made his chest bloom with warmth. A small smile graced his lips as he grabbed hold of Tawny once more and hugged him close. He sat up in bed and rolled up the hem of his shirt, glancing down at the stitches on his side. "Okay Tawny, let's do some magic, okay?"

\- - -

Billy woke up the next morning surprisingly refreshed. There wasn't a searing pain in his abdomen that brought him out of his dreams, but rather a soft and gentle light that coaxed him into wakefulness. It wasn't often he woke up like this, what with how his life seemed to go, so it was nice that the air around him could be so calm. The 10-year-old rubbed at his eyes and sat up slightly, glancing at the empty glass that held the meager remains of the drink Tim had brought him last night. 

Slight movement beside the glass caught his attention, and Billy glanced at the chair that had been dragged away from the bed and sat against the wall. Bruce was currently asleep on said chair, his arms folded over his chest as he slept. The boy swallowed thickly- he hadn't expected the man to be there when he woke up, nonetheless look like he'd spent the night at his bedside. A small smile pulled at the corners of his mouth as he sat up, rolling up his shirt to glance at the wound. It wasn't completely healed- Billy wasn't a skilled enough sorcerer for that- but it wasn't bleeding and it didn't hurt too bad to move around, so Billy counted that as a victory.

Still, there was more he could do- another cast of the healing spell would be able to speed the process up further, especially since he'd been able to have a good night's rest for once. He glanced at Bruce- this was sort of risky to do in front of the man, even if he was asleep. Billy had no idea how heavy of a sleeper the billionaire was, but it wasn't likely that he'd get another chance to heal himself today if the mother-henning continued today like it had last night. 

The raven swallowed thickly and kept his eyes locked on Bruce's, looking for any shift in movement. The man's eyes were still, and his breathing was even, so it was likely that he was still asleep- and wasn't that ironic, using something that _Batman_ taught him as Marvel against the man now. Billy glanced down at his torso before taking a deep breath and settling himself. His magic was fickle, despite the fact that he had a natural affinity for it, and took all of his concentration. 

John Constantine chucked that up to him being so young, whereas Shazam said it was because he hadn't yet trained fully in the mystic arts- either way, it meant that magic was kind of hard for him if he got distracted. 

He took another steadying breath before holding his hand out, palm up, and whispering softly in ancient greek. It was hard for his tongue to form the words, but it was a spell he'd practiced many times before, so he was able to manage. He kept his eyes shut, finding Constantine's voice ringing in his ears and nagging him about how it was easier to visualize his magic in the beginning if he didn't look at it.

A ball of golden light appeared in his hand, wisps of light trailing off it like smoke from a fire. He brought it carefully towards his abdomen before pushing it into the stitches. The black thread glowed a bright gold for a moment, the skin around the wound getting much warmer than it had been, before dimming and returning to black. Billy drew in a breath as the warmth receded, opening his eyes slowly and rolling down the hem of his shirt.

"So you _do_ know magic."

Billy nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of the voice, his eyes widening as he looked at the man who was now leaning forward on his knees and watching him from the chair. It was like he'd never been asleep in the first place- not a hair out of order. It made Billy wonder if he'd ever been sleeping at all-- though that was a fleeting thought amongst the panic currently rising to the surface.

"I- I- n-no, I don't, I was- I was just-"

Bruce tilted his head slightly. "It's okay, Billy. I had my suspicions that you were a meta."

Wait, what?

Bruce thought he was a _meta_? Did he not know that magic wasn't-- it wasn't something that was in someone's genes, it wasn't a mutation. Magic was entwined with someone's soul, or at least, that's what the Wizard had told him. The boy blinked, swallowing thickly in an attempt to process the man's words. "I- I-" he was at a loss, really. How was he supposed to respond to that?

Though, this did give him an out. Billy shook the thoughts from his head, not having realized that Bruce was talking to him. "-but the meta rule is- its..." he trailed off, glancing away before meeting the boy's eyes again. "You don't have to worry about it. As I said, I had my suspicions- so its okay, you're okay."

"I'm not- i'm not gonna make you leave just because you're a meta, Billy. It's okay."

Billy nodded numbly- this wasn't really happening, was it?

A light knock at the door got the pair's attention, the pair of raven's looking towards it as the door opened to reveal Jason and Alfred in the doorway. The latter had what looked like another smoothie in his hand, while the former was holding a tray full of breakfast food. Billy smiled at the sight of them, despite the tension still lingering in the room. He could feel Bruce's eyes on him for a moment before the billionaire stood.

"Come in, come in- I was just leaving," he said, straightening his suit- which Billy just now realized he must have slept in. Jason gave him an odd look, raising an eyebrow and narrowing his eyes in suspicion. 

"Did you..."

Bruce pat his shoulder and left without a word, not allowing the slightly smaller raven to finish his question. Jason rolled his eyes and sighed, bringing the tray closer to the bed as Alfred trailed behind him. 

"You're looking much better, William," Alfred said with a soft smile, setting the smoothie down on his nightstand as Billy hoisted himself back further onto the bed. "Though I would still recommend that you not do anything strenuous for a couple of days."

Jason set the tray down on Billy's lap as the boy nodded. "Yeah, Tim already hounded me about that last night..." he mumbled, very obviously avoiding looking the pair in the eyes. Jason furrowed his brow, glancing at the butler before squatting down and shoving his head right into Billy's line of sight. 

"So he really told you, huh?"

Billy blinked, his head rearing back in surprise. "W-what?"

Jason smirked, plopping down on the end of the bed. "Bruce. He told you about the whole bat thing," he said, snatching a piece of toast off the tray and taking a bite. "You're looking at Alfred like he's gonna sprout wings or something," he continued, taking another bite. "Trust me, Alfred here might not wear spandex, but he sure as hell can kick some ass."

Alfred gave him a look before letting out a sigh. "As humbling as that is, Jason, you need not worry about things like that, William," he said with a shake of his head. 

Jason shoved the rest of the slice of toast in his mouth with a shrug. "Whatever," he said with a smirk. "Any other revelations you'd like to share?" he asked with a waggle of his eyebrows- he must have gotten something out of Tim, Billy thought as he took a small bite of toast.

"Well, um... Damien's Robin, if the sword is anything to go by..." he said, rubbing his throat gingerly. Jason nodded once, laying back on the covers and pillowing his head on his hands. "And- uhm, I think Dick might be Nightwing? They act really similar...but I'm not sure. If he's Nightwing though, that'd make him the first Robin," Billy said, chewing on the inside of his cheek in thought. Now that he really thought of it, Dick acted _very_ similar to Nightwing.

Both were very brotherly, and he'd always kind of looked up to Nightwing anyways. He glanced at Jason, who was smirking again, so Billy took that as a yes. A small smile graced his face- it's really a wonder how he didn't put two and two together before now. "I'm not sure who Tim is though if he even is someone," he said, setting the toast down on the tray.

Jason glanced at him before sitting up. "Yeah, that's to be expected- Tim spent the least amount of time of any of us as Robin," he said, making Billy's eyes widen. There were _four_ Robins?! He thought there had only been 2!!

"Wait, wait, _you_ were a Robin?" Billy eyes with a snort, the image of Jason in tight green pants with yellow trim making him laugh. Jason rolled his eyes and shoved the boy's head so that it flopped back against the pillow.

"Yeah, yeah, yuck it up, short stack. We've all been Robin at one point- save for Jeeves over here," he said, jabbing a thumb in Alfred's direction. "Though, he'd probably make a pretty bad-ass one," he added with a grin.

Billy giggled as he sat back up, something that made Jason's grin widen. "Tim goes by Red Robin now," he continued, to which Billy furrowed his brow.

"Isn't...isn't that a restaurant?" he asked with another giggle, to which Jason snorted.

"That's what I told him! But Noooooo! That's what the dumbasss went with, of all things," he continued with a chuckle, despite Alfred's warning about his language. "Yeah well, you eat up, rest awhile, do whatever- later on, I'll show you the cave." He gave the boy a wink as he started choking on orange juice.

"The Bat Cave?!" Billy sputtered, gripping hiss glass of juice tightly. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve and stared bug-eyed at the older raven. "_The_ Bat Cave..." he said, a wide smile spreading across his face.

"You sound excited," Jason asked with a raise of his brow. 

Billy blew a raspberry at him, guarding his mouth with the glass. "Pffft- no, I just... okay, yeah. I'm excited. It's the Bat Cave! Who wouldn't be?! I've wanted to go to the cave for so long-" he cut himself off. Go too far down that road and he'd end up saying _'ever since Flash got to go and I didn't'._

"I uh- I'm just excited is all," he said with a large gulp of his drink. 

"Well give it a couple of days, and i'll give you the grand tour," Jason said as he stood up- and ruffled the boy's hair. Alfred shook his head at the pair, pulling Billy's covers up slightly.

"You rest now, we'll check up on you later."

Billy nodded, grabbing a fork and shoving it into the pile of eggs on the tray.

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah so I may have gotten a little excited and wrote this all today, but uuhhhhh..... I hope you guys enjoyed it! Bit of a jerky ending to the chapter, I know, but it was gonna be too long if I kept going on and on. lol
> 
> Tell me your thoughts, I'd love to hear em!


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DAMN I AM ON A ROLL. I'm probably jinxing it by saying this but I'm getting these updates out F A S T !!!!
> 
> EDIT (2/23/20) Comment moderation is officially on. I'm deleting comments that says stupid things like "tHaT'S nOt hOW YoU sPelL DaMIeN'S NaMe" soooooo :) goodbye little Tumblr children, go back to the trash where you belong :)))
> 
> ALSO: sorry to get your hopes up with an update, but I have an Instagram dedicated to this account! The username is @starkvenger.ao3 since just starkvenger was taken...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay but its actually insane how good some of yall are about guessing what I'm gonna put in chapters. Like- stop. Stop it. Stop guessing. XDDDD JK JK JK in all seriousness I really love it when yall guess what's coming up cause a lot of times yall get things right and I just CAN'T SAY THAT YOU'RE RIGHT. 
> 
> Okay, so, yeah. love yall. lol

\- - -

**Billy nodded, grabbing a fork and shoving it into the pile of eggs on the tray.**

\- - -

It took another two days before Alfred would even let him think of getting out of bed, despite the fact that his daily healing spell expedited the process enough to heal him nearly completely. Billy spent that time thinking, for the most part- about Bruce, about Batman- about the responsibilities he had as Cap and how he was wasting time in his cushy bed. There was no telling how many crimes had been committed, how many people had been hurt while he was out of the game.

Eventually, his thoughts had gone to that of Damien- specifically that the elder boy's birthday passed him by while he was laying in bed. He wasn't sure if Bruce had ever gotten that sword he was going to but for Damien- and Billy hadn't gotten a chance to get him _anything_. Maybe he could make something? But what could _Robin_ possibly want? He'd spent so much time trying to figure that out, that he hadn't even realized when Jason came into his room one morning that it was for a reason.

"Hey kid- you feelin' alright this morning?" he asked as he came in the bedroom, glancing at Billy staring determinedly at his covers as he sat on them. "Uhh... whatcha doin'?" he asked slowly, only to get no response. Billy was so deep in thought- maybe he could conjure up some kind of weapon for him? Though, he'd have to transform in order to do that, and he doubted that he'd get a moment to be alone and do just that. Plus he needed materials-

"Billy," Jason said as the boy mumbled to himself. The elder raven sighed and shook his head with a grin. "Fine, guess I'll go see the Batcave on my own." His words managed to get BIlly's attention, snapping him out of his musings. 

"What? Jason? Wait- no! Wait for me!" he said, scrambling off the bed and running towards the door.

"Whoa whoa whoa, slow your roll there, pipsqueak. Get dressed, _then_ we'll go down," Jason said, holding up a hand before pointing towards the boy's dresser. "Besides, I think the old man wants to talk to you about somethin'," he said as he plopped down on the bed and started examining his fingertips. He caught sight of the Captain Marvel comic that had been set on Billy's nightstand and picked it up, flipping through the pages as Billy pulled out the nightstand drawers.

"This the one Dickie boy got you?" he asked, furrowing his brow at an image of the Captain fighting a worm on the pages.

"Yeah," Billy said as he tugged off his shirt and grabbed a bright red one from the drawer and pulled it on. He grabbed a pair of jeans and exchanged his pajama pants for those, tugging them on before hurriedly moving to pull on his shoes. Thankfully they were still tied from when Bruce had first tied them, so he didn't have to worry about that right now.

"You know there's no rush, right? The cave isn't goin' anywhere," Jason said as he continued flipping through pages. He glanced up at Billy, who had just finished pulling on his sneaker and shook his head with a grin.

"I'm excited! How many people can say they've gotten to see the Batcave?" Billy retorted, coming over to the young man and tugging on his forearm. "Come on, let's go, let's go-" he grunted, trying to pull the larger raven off the bed. 

"Eh, the marvel wears off after a while," he said as his top half was pulled off the bed and he was sent crashing onto the carpeted floor with a grunt. "Well, look what you've done now- I'm stuck. Stuck forever in this position," he teased with a grin before the comic was yanked unceremoniously from his hands. Billy set his small fists on his hips and gave Jason a look, one that was oddly familiar for some reason, before glancing towards the bedroom door. 

"I'll just try and find it on my own, then. Maybe the entrance is in your bedroom and I'll have to ransack the place to find it," the 10-year-old said with a mischevious grin, getting a wide-eyed look from Jason. 

"Oh no you don't pipsqueak," he said, rolling backward off the bed and popping up on his feet. Jason grabbed the boy and hoisted him up, lugging him over his shoulder like a sack of flour. "I'm not lettin' you get anywhere near my man cave-- we're gonna raid Bruce's, not mine," he said with a smirk before throwing open the bedroom door and walking out, Billy still pouting on his shoulder. 

"How'd you get your side to heal so fast, anyway?" Jason asked, his wording very leading for someone who's family was all about stealth.

"I thought Mr. Wayne woulda told you already..." Billy replied, clambering around so that he was sitting on Jason's shoulders. The thought of talking about his magic so freely was still new to him- it gave him a rush to talk about something without giving the full truth away, no matter how much Solomon screamed in his head that it was a bad idea. Jason stayed quiet, so Billy continued. "I used magic," he said, resting his chin on top of Jason's head.

"Yeah, I thought you might've. Just wanted to be sure," the larger raven said as he jostled the boy. Billy laughed, wrapping his arms around Jason's head as they walked towards the library. Before they could make it there, however, Bruce intercepted the pair.

"Morning, boys. Billy, how are you feeling?" Bruce asked, looking up at the boy on top of his elder son's shoulders. 

"Um- 'm fine, Mr. Wayne," Billy replied, his grip on Jason loosening slightly. "Jay was gonna show me the cave, if- if that alright with you," he said as Jason grinned mischievously.

Bruce made eye contact with Jason before looking back up at Billy. "Yes, that's fine, but first I do have someone I'd like you to talk to," he said as Jason lifted the boy off his shoulders and set him on the ground. "He'll help you- hopefully."

Billy furrowed his brow. Was this some of tutor or something? Dick had said they wanted to see where his learning level was at before they put him in any grade, so maybe this person was here to do that. He glanced back at Jason, chewing on his bottom lip in thought.

"Go on, short-stack. I'll be here when you get back," Jason said with a thumbs up before Bruce started walking in the direction that Billy was fairly sure lead to his personal office. Billy went to follow, glancing back to find Jason plop down in one of the armchairs just outside the library. The 10-year-old glanced back up towards Bruce as he led him through the mansion, pausing once they were outside his office. 

"Now, this guy's a bit... rough around the edges," Bruce said, scratching at the back of his head. "But he's one of the best in his field, and since my first choice wouldn't pick up the phone..." the billionaire trailed off, shaking his head at the thought. "Well uh, let's just go inside. Don't take anything he says to heart, alright?"

Billy furrowed his brow at the confusing, vague information about whoever this person was supposed to be, but shrugged and followed Bruce inside- if the billionaire trusted him, Billy would too. Bruce stepped aside and rolled his eyes at the sight of a cigarette being lit.

The small raven's eyes widened at the sight of John Constantine sitting behind a desk, his keep kicked up and head back as smoke stemmed from the cigarette in his hand. The blonde took a long drag before tilting his head up to look at the pair, being thrown into a coughing fit at the sight of the boy. Billy resisted the urge to run to the man's side and check on him- John had a habit of gagging on cigarette smoke when he got distracted. The boy bit down hard on his lip to keep quiet ass Bruce watched the man sputter with a raised eyebrow. 

"John, I told you he was young," he said, shoving a hand into his pocket with the shake of his head. Okay- well, at least Bruce didn't suspect anything. Or, well, Billy hoped he didn't anyway.

John swallowed thickly and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand, glaring at the Dark Knight before glancing at the kid. They made eye contact before the blonde looked back towards Bruce. "Yeah, well you didn't say he'd be bloody 7 years old, mate," he grumbled, leaning back slightly in the office chair. 

Billy rubbed the back of his neck, looking anywhere but at his caregiver- he could tell a lie in a pinch, but Billy was terrible at pretending he didn't know people. When Billy didn't correct the magician, Bruce took the lead. "He's 10, John," he said with a roll of his eyes.

Bruce kneeled down and put a hand on Billy's shoulder, trying to offer the boy some kind of kind look. "Billy, this is John Constantine. I thought he might be able to help you out with your... uhm... magical abilities," he glanced back towards the Brit currently getting up out of his chair. "As I said, not my first choice, but Captain Marvel didn't want to answer my calls, so here we are." 

Billy noticed John bite back a grin (and likely as cocky remark) as he walked over. He pulled a hand out of his trenchcoat and offered it to the boy- which Billy grabbed easily. In hindsight, he probably should have acted more apprehensive about learning magic from what looked like a hobo in a trenchcoat, but Billy trusted John with his life- it was hard _not_ to be put at ease just by being near him.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Constantine," Billy said, smiling widely. He knew John _hated_ being called that, something the man showed when he narrowed his eyes at the boy, but hey, Billy had . to act the part, right?

"_John_," the blonde said through gritted teeth, though that was likely because he was trying to stop himself from throttling the boy, as Billy had a tendency to joke around and try to get under the man's skin whenever they were together. It was all in good fun, John took it like a champ and even dished it out from time to time- it was good to see him after months of no contact. "_Just_ John is fine, Sparkplug."

"Sparkplug...?" Bruce asked, a brow raised at the pair as their hands parted. John rolled his eyes and looked at the billionaire.

"Kid's got an electrical aura," he said, information which Billy knew the man was pulling right out of his ass. John couldn't see auras without performing a spell- though, Billy had been told that his aura _was_ electrifying.

"Ah... I see," Bruce said, putting his other hand into his suit pocket. "Well, I trust you'll be in good hands, Billy." Bruce said, looking down at the boy, "And if you aren't," he looked back towards the blond, "Things won't be pretty."

"Right... give us a minute alone, won't you?" John asked, to which Bruce's eyes narrowed. "Sorcerers only, Wayne," he said with a smirk, to which Bruce sighed and nodded once. 

"You have 5 minutes," he said, glancing down at Billy before leaving the study with a soft click of the door. Billy glanced back towards the man in the trenchcoat and grinned widely before bolting towards him.

John sighed with a soft smile and easily swept the kid up into his arms, letting Billy grip his neck tightly and hug him. "Been a while since I got a call from you, knobhead," he said, pulling back from the raven to look him in the eyes. "Chas was worried about you, ya know." Billy gave him a look, to which he rolled his eyes with a grin. "Okay, okay, _fine_, I was worried about you." 

"I'm _fine_, John- better than fine. I mean- have you _seen_ this place?" he asked as John set him down on the expensive carpet and pulled out his box of seemingly never-ending cigarettes. "Mr. Wayne is... well, no what I expected, for sure," he said, rubbing the back of his head. He was fairly sure that John knew who Bruce really was, but it still felt weird, almost forbidden to say it out loud. "But he's nice, and I can tell he cares."

"And uh...the whole champion thing? How's that workin' out for ya? I take it by what the rich boy said he doesn't know?" John asked with a tilt of his head as he lit his cigarette. Billy glanced down and rubbed at his arm, only to get a tsk from the blonde as he snapped his silver lighter shut. "That's what I thought."

"But hey," John continued, taking a long drag, "now I'm gettin' paid to teach ya magic, kid," he grinned at the boy, who chuckled in response. "And lemme say I'm glad it's you- I thought for sure it was gonna be one of those Robin-types, and I'd waste my time teachin' illusion spells or somethin'."

Billy grinned and shook his head. "Nah, I don't think they understand magic like that. From what I've gotten from Mr. Wayne, they think magic is a metagene, that it's something in someone's DNA."

John rolled his shoulder, leaning against the front of the desk. "Well, I guess it's not _wrong_, per se. People _are_ predisposed to being able to do magic, but there's nothin' to do with genes and such." John took another drag before snuffing out the half-burnt cigarette in an ashtray. "We'll just continue your lessons from where we left off- maybe I can convince that rich mug to let your lessons be at the House of Mystery- always feels like I'm bein' watched 'round here," he said, glancing around for some kind of camera.

"I know the feeling," Billy replied, rubbing the back of his neck. 

The door behind them opened suddenly, Bruce's large form crowding the doorway. "Time's up, John," he said, coming into the room. "Hope you got out what you needed to say," he said, resting a hand on Billy's shoulder. 

"Sure did, mate- though it's _you_ I got some things to discuss with," John said easily, pushing himself off the edge of the desk and leading the billionaire out of the study. "First off, just how much am I gettin' paid for this...?" hi voice trailed off as Bruce followed him and Jason came into the study. 

"So uh- Constantine's teachin' you magic, huh?" he asked, to which Billy nodded. "Huh...cool I guess," he said, rubbing the back of his neck in- was that nervousness? "You uh... you still wanna see the cave?" he asked, lighting up at the sight of stars appearing in BIlly's eyes.

"YES!" he exclaimed, a wide smile on his face as Jason hoisted him back up onto his shoulders. 

"Great- Off to the library! Maybe we'll see replacement while we're there," he said, to which Billy started laughing. "What?" Jason asked with a glance up, confusion etched into his features. Did he say something stupid or something?

"It's nothing, it's nothing, I just-" the 10-year-old snorted. "I realized why you call him 'replacement' now."

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly shorter chapter this time, but that's okay cause next time WE'RE SEEIN' THE BAT CAVE BABEY!!


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yo, yall should check out my Instagram! I'll be posting updates and short stories (things that are too short to justify putting them here) along with some visuals, taking requests and ideas from y'all, letting yall in on my creative process, and who knows, I might even give sneak peeks on upcoming chapters... 👀👀 
> 
> INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/starkvenger.ao3/  
or  
USER: @Starkvenger.ao3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy this one! Gave me a headache to write. Might take a break for a while because I forget just how toxic Batman fans can be with the minuscule stuff. 
> 
> I've deleted the toxic stuff, so don't go lookin' for it. If your comment is still there, you're good in my book.

\- - -

**"It's nothing, it's nothing, I just-" the 10-year-old snorted. "I realized why you call him 'replacement' now."**

\- - -

Jason set Billy down on the carpet, glancing towards Tim with a smirk. "Hey bookworm, we're going down to the cave. You wanna join?" he asked as he walked up to a large bookshelf and pulled a book forward. Tim glanced up from his tablet and gave Jason a look as the bookshelf hissed and began to slide open, glancing down at the scattered papers around him on the desk before looking back at Jason. 

"You're really asking me this right now?" he asked in a deadpanned drawl, to which Jason rolled his eyes. 

"We get it, you're a nerd. Just thought you'd wanna give a hand in showing the pipsqueak around since you're so gung-ho about spendin' alone time with him," Jason commented, ruffling BIlly's hair as the boy stared at the big metal elevator where the bookshelf used to be. "Come on, kid, leave Donatello to his dumb police work," Jason said, taking the lead and stepping into the elevator. Billy followed hesitantly, grabbing hold of Jason's forearm instinctually when the elevator jolted and started to move.

"Never been in an elevator?" the taller of the two asked, to which Billy shook his head meekly.

"Never one that actually worked."

Not as Billy Batson.

"Figures- don' worry, kid, I gotcha. This thing's never failed us before, anyways, best engineering money can buy," Jason said as he patted the wall. The elevator came to a stop and the metal doors slid open, revealing a massive dark cavern. Billy's eyes widened at the sight- various platforms lead to different sections of the cave, the biggest one in the middle of the path leading towards what Billy could only assume was the Bat Computer. Another led into the recesses of the cave, going to places the 10-year-old could only imagine, while another led right up to the _Batmobile_ _itself_.

Billy had stars in his eyes at the things that surrounded him, and Jason grinned at him before picking the kid up and putting him back on his shoulders. "Alright, so what do you wanna see first?" he asked, looking around. "We could... go see the penny. Or we could feed the bats- though that little shithead'll probably get on my ass about _'tainting the bats feeding schedule'_ or somethin'." he said, jostling Billy, who was still staring at the place in awe.

"I- I- this place is really... it's actually amazing..." Billy breathed, resting his cheek on the top of Jason's head. "It's so big..."

The elder of the two chuckled and looked around- he'd grown so used to the place over the years that the charm had kind of worn off, but he could remember a time when the cave was someplace special. When it was this mystical place that he'd only heard about in rumors from convicts while on the streets. When he'd first come here, Jason was shocked at how something so massive could hide under a place so plain like Wayne Manor.

He smiled up at the kid, who was currently staring at the bat-computer with large eyes and started walking towards it. "I guess it is pretty cool, huh," he said, walking up a couple of steps before grabbing Billy and pulled him off his shoulders- only to set him down in the big seat. The boy looked up at him in shock, and Jason only smirked. "Relax, kid," he said as he brought the massive computer to life.

Billy glanced up at the screen as it came on, light flooding his eyes as the elder raven typed in some long password and was given access to the main screen. The boy furrowed his brow though at the sight of various articles and windows popping up on the screen, practically filling it with information. That in itself wasn't worrying, no, but the thing that did cause his blood to run cold was the fact that all of the articles had to do with _him_.

_With Captain Marvel._

The 10-year-old swallowed thickly, staring at the screen in slight terror and trying to assess the information Bruce had managed to dig up. It didn't look like much, a couple of articles from around the time he first got his powers and started helping out in Fawcett, some statements from people talking about how friendly and helpful he was, a gossip blog wondering just where he had come from and if he had any malicious intent. 

None of that was worrying on its own- it was stuff anyone had access to. What _was_ worrying, however, was the fact that Bruce had what looked like scanned pages of ancient tomes and artifacts pulled up as well. Pages that had ancient Greek-to-English translations pulled up side by side, and which talked about the Champions of the past. Billy felt a shiver go down his spine at the sight of knowledge that no ordinary businessman could obtain, and let out a shaky breath.

"Oh... shit..." Jason muttered, looking around the large screen. "That's your buddy, huh...the one you told who I was," he said, squinting at the ancient lettering as he ruffled Billy's hair. "Wait, that idiot's been around for over a millennium? He sure as hell doesn't act like it!"

Billy glanced up at him before looking back at the screen. This was bad. Sure, this information wasn't enough to connect Marvel with Billy, but it was still more than he was okay with being in Batman's hands. "This feels wrong..." he mumbled, glancing up at Jason. "Does Mr. Wayne do this for all of the Justice League?" he asked, despite knowing for a fact that yes, he did. Jason tore his eyes away from the screen to look at Billy. 

"I- uh... I think so, yeah," he said, at least having the decency to look slightly guilty for his caregiver's actions. 

"Look, kid, I think we should-"

"What do you two think you're doing?"

The voice came from behind them but echoed and bounced around the cave, making it sound much, much larger than it really was. It reminded Billy almost of how the gods (mainly Zeus) sounded in the few times he'd been summoned to Olympus and they wanted to sound powerful and important. 

The pair glanced back to find Bruce standing in the doorway, suit on and cowl down(which still was a wild thing for Billy to see). His steely blue eyes were staring right through them as he walked up, glancing between the two. "I told you you could take a look around. Check the place out. I did not say you could go through the bat-computer and snoop through restricted files," the billionaire said, turning his attention solely on Jason.

The younger man sighed and rolled his eyes. "They were _open_ when I logged in, Bruce. I didn't do shit," he said with a glare.

"Regardless, you shouldn't be-" Bruce paused at the sight of an emergency alert suddenly flashing on the screen. It was followed by a loud blaring sound, to which Bruce leaped into action, pulling up his cowl and answering the call. He must not have realized that Billy was still there as a video call was pulled up showing Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and a couple of other members of the League in the Watchtower. 

Billy had slid out of the chair and out of the way of Bruce, poking his head around the corner of the chair as Bruce assessed the situation. "What's going on," he said, glancing around at the collected group. Jason had turned his attention towards the screen as well, his arms crossed over his chest. 

"We got a breakout at Belle Reve. Multiple instances of criminals vanishing from their cells without a trace. The guards say that they were there one moment, and gone the next. Cameras didn't catch anything, every villain that is gone now's security footage corrupts when they vanish, only to go back to normal afterward. We have no clue where they ended up but- hold on, is that a kid?" Superman furrowed his brow at the sight of Billy, who had, up until this point, been listening and attempting to figure out just what could have caused the villains to vanish.

The 10-year-old's eyes widened as all the attention turned towards him- he never thought he'd face the League in this form, so it was safe to say he was slightly terrified. Batman glanced back at him and let out a short sigh before looking back at the monitor. "Ignore him. We either have some kind of device that lets someone remotely teleport the criminals out of Belle Reve, or its-"

"Magic." 

Billy swallowed thickly as Bruce glanced back at him again, ignoring Jason's motion to be quiet. "It's gotta be magic. That explains the cameras fizzling out. Magic leaves a residue in the air that messes with electrical equipment," he continued, trying (and failing) to ignore the various gazes on him from the League.

"How do you..."

"No, that checks out," Zatanna spoke up, nodding in agreement from the Watchtower feed. "It does leave a residue, but most magic isn't strong enough to completely knock out footage like the way we see at Belle Reve. It's gotta be strong, and the user has to know what they're doing."

"Okay, cool, is anyone else still kind of stuck on the fact that there's a kid standing beside Bats?" Flash asked, gesturing towards Billy.

'Calm down, he's probably Robin or something," Green Lantern said with a roll of his eyes.

"He's not Robin," Bruce said in a flat tone, a hand to his chin in thought. "Zatanna, could a magical artifact of some kind make a magic-user strong enough to do this?" he asked, looking back at the magician. 

The woman thought about it for a moment before nodding. Billy could have told you that, but he was already pushing it with that outburst two seconds ago. It was weird how hard it was to separate the job from his personal life sometimes- something that nearly made him mess everything up just now.

"Alright, keep an eye out for any spikes in magical activity. I'll do some research into if any magical artifacts have gone missing recently. Superman, Wonderwoman, split into teams and search for where the villains could have ended up," Bruce said, looking around at the group. "Zatanna, I need you and Marvel to do research into the magic that was used at Belle Reve. Go there and-"

Marvel's not here, Batman," Zatanna said, interrupting the man. The Dark Knight set his jaw, seemingly resisting the urge to lose his temper.

"Then go to Fawcett and get him."

"Batman, Captain Marvel hasn't been seen in over a week," Superman said, stepping slightly in front of Zatanna so that Batman would look at him. "No check-ins, no sightings, nothing. Wonder Woman and Cyborg have been keeping an eye on Fawcett for him, but so far everything's been silent on his end." 

"Well, where could he be? He's been on and off for the past two weeks now-"

"Batman, Captain Marvel could be any number of places. If he is truly a champion of old, he could have been summoned to Olympus or be dealing with some other-worldly threat. I cannot, in good conscience, believe that he would go 'AWOL' as you call it and silent without good reason," Diana spoke up, meeting the Dark Knight's eyes. "He is a valued member of this team, and I do not believe he would do something to damage our trust in him if it were not necessary."

The billionaire sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Alright. Zatanna, you go check out Belle Reve alone then. Report your findings when you have them. I'll be up there this afternoon." he said, glancing at Billy before looking back up at the screen. "Batman out," he said, ending the call. 

"Jason, take Billy upstairs. I have work to do," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose. Jason nodded once and scooped Billy up, something that the 10-year-old wanted to protest, but the tension in the room was palpable- and Solomon was advising him to stay quiet. Jason stepped into the elevator and the metal doors slid shut, effectively blocking the boy from the cave. 

"Listen, kid, it's best to not get involved with stuff when the League's on call. You're lucky he didn't just kick ya out immediately," Jason said as he put Billy down once they were in the library. Billy wasn't really listening, though, since, as soon as he was able to walk, he bolted towards Tim and leaned in close.

_"I gotta go, League needs help. Can you help me get away?"_ he whispered, to which the bookworm looked up from his tablet with a sigh and a raised eyebrow, and nodded once. Billy smiled and ran off, leaving Tim alone with a slightly confused and slightly offended Jason.

"Kid said he had to pee, you idiot," Tim said, glancing back down at his tablet. 

"Oh..." Jason said slowly, furrowing his brow as Billy ran out of the library. "Well uh... alright," Jason pulled out a chair and sat down in it, only to get an unimpressed look from Tim- not that he noticed. "You know, Billy said some weird stuff down there. I mean, I get that the kid's friends with that Marvel guy and all, but he seems to know _a lot_ about magic already. Why'd B think he needed lessons?"

Tim shrugged, not looking up from his tablet. "What did he say," he asked disinterestedly. 

"He was talkin' about magical residue, and, and, electric equipment. It was weird."

"Well, like you said, he's buddies with Cap, right? That's probably it. The guy probably explained some stuff about his powers to Billy or something. It's not as big of a deal as you're making it, Todd," Tim said with a roll of his eyes.

"How long does it take him to pee?" Jason asked after a moment, getting a groan from Tim.

"Did you ever think maybe he just wanted to get away from your stupid ramblings?? Because God Damn, you talk _a lot_. I have to get this to Gordon by tomorrow and you are _not_ making this easy!" Tim said with a glare towards the elder raven.

Jason stood with a huff. "Whatever, I'm gonna go check on him." 

"If his door is locked, you leave him alone," Tim said, eyes back on his tablet. Jason gave him a look and continued towards the door, only to hear the younger raven clearing his throat. "I mean it, Todd."

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly shorter chapter than the last, but this is where I need to end it if I want to keep that good flow going, alright? :)
> 
> Anyways, tell me what you thought!
> 
> Any predictions?


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uhhhhhhhh superheroes do.... *looks at smudged writing on hand* stupid things. 
> 
> ...wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to keep this groove I got going for this story, but my brain likes to jump ahead and be like "well after this cool part, this in particular happens" and I'm like "PLEASE SLOW DOWN I CAN'T TYPE THAT FAST I'M MAKING TOO MANY SPELLING ERRORS PLAEIHCSX--"
> 
> So yeah. Tryin' to keep this hype train goin' while I got a clear picture of where I wanna take this thing.

\- - -

**"If his door is locked, you leave him alone," Tim said, eyes back on his tablet. Jason gave him a look and continued towards the door, only to hear the younger raven clearing his throat. "I mean it, Todd."**

\- - -

Billy made a beeline towards his room, bounding up the stairs in a hurry. He turned the corner, sneakers skidding on the smooth hardwood before he threw open his door and ran inside. Damien gave him a narrowed eyed look from down the hall, but he ignored it in favor of shutting and locking his bedroom door behind him. He went to the loose board beside his bed, pulling it up and digging around for his communicator. 

Guilt gnawed at his insides at the sight of the various calls and messages that were brought up when he turned the device on, but he ignored them in favor of messaging Cyborg. He'd seen the man standing in the background and searching through a hologram, and he was sure he'd seen Billy as well.

_YOU: On my way to Belle Reve. See if you can stall Zatanna for me?_

_VIC 🏈: I'll try, but Supes and WW are pretty gung-ho about everybody moving out ASAP._

_YOU: Thanks, that's all I ask._

Billy pocketed the device and pushed his window open, clambering out and following the path he had last time- narrowly avoiding swinging right in front of Dick's window.

Again. 

He dropped into the grass and glanced back at the manor before taking off. He looked for some kind of cover, making his way towards the forest that neighbored one side of the manor. Upon finding a clearing, Billy set his communicator on a rock and took a few steps back.

His heart was pounding in his chest and a chill went down his spine. It'd been nearly a week since he'd transformed, something he hadn't done since he first got his powers two years ago. Adrenaline pounding in his core, his spread his feet and threw back his head. The sky was cloudy and dark- normal for Gotham, he supposed, and lucky for him- and smiled. No one would notice a random lightning strike with a sky like this.

_"SHAZAM!"_

\- - -

Damien narrowed his eyes at the sight of Billy barrelling up the stairs, nearly slipping on the polished floor, and glancing at him before slamming his door shut and locking it. The raven raised a brow, abandoning his plan to put honey in Jason's pillow to walk up to the 10-year-old's bedroom door. It was quiet inside, no sounds of sobbing or distress, so at least no one had done anything stupid to upset him. 

Since when did he care if someone upset Billy? Ugh. He was getting soft.

Damien pressed his ear against the door, listening for some kind of snickering or giggle. Maybe he'd convinced Grayson or someone to play hide and seek with him. When he heard nothing except the sound of the boy's window opening, Damien's suspicion grew. Sneaking out again, so soon after he got into trouble the first time? Bold. A spark of respect bloomed in the kid-assassin's chest, backing away from the door at the sound of footsteps pounding up the staircase.

He rolled his eyes at the sight of Jason, who glanced at him before turning his attention on Billy's door and knocking. "Billy, you in there?" he asked, pressing his ear against the door. Damien rolled his eyes at the man but stayed quiet- he wasn't going to rat the kid out if he was brazen enough to try sneaking out a second time. "Billy, open up," Jason said into the wood. The elder raven glanced down at him with narrowed eyes.

"You see him go in there?" 

Damien shrugged, turning on his heel and walking back down the hall. He had decided that he was going to put honey in the dimwit's pillow after all, and he'd left his jar just around the corner. "Leave him alone, Todd. He obviously doesn't want you in there."

Jason sighed through gritted teeth, and the 12-year-old watched him stomp back down the grand staircase. The boy rolled his eyes in response with a tsk, heaving the jar up in his arms. "Though I am curious where you went, Batson..." he said, glancing towards the younger's bedroom.

Damien chewed on the inside of his lip in thought before letting out a sigh as his curiosity got the better of him. He set the jar on an end table and walked back towards BIlly's room, pulling out a lockpick and jamming it into the lock. The door clicked after a few moments and he pocketed the tool, opening the door and closing it softly behind him. 

Unsurprisingly, Billy's room looked about the same as it had when he'd first moved in, though there was a comic book sitting on the nightstand and another blanket, one with Batman on it, sitting on the bed. Damien looked around the room for any sign of the slightly younger boy, huffing when he found nothing. He glanced back at the bed, rolling his eyes at the damn Batman blanket, only to stop a loose board having been removed from the floor.

"The hell...?" he muttered, kneeling down in front of the hole in the floor. There wasn't much there; an old cloth, a weirdly intricate silver mirror, and what looked like an old, archaic leather book. He narrowed his eyes as he picked up the book, disregarding the expensive-looking mirror in favor of pulling open the cover of the large book. The language wasn't one he recognized, (strange, since, like his father, Damien spoke a myriad of languages) and didn't seem to lend themselves to being said aloud. 

"Why do you have this, Batson...?" he muttered to himself, flipping a page and staring down at words like almost looked like Greek. The ink on the page almost seemed to give off an ethereal glow, and the boy squinted down at it. He scoffed and closed the book, setting it to the side before grabbing the small silver mirror and turning it over in his hands. "Expensive, solid silver. Golden lacing around the sides...is that a ruby...?" he muttered, rubbing a thumb over the gem at the top of the mirror.

The object started to glow, Damien's eyes widening as he held it out. There was a flash of light before a voice could be heard...coming from...the mirror?

"Kid, I got an alert from your father that said he needed help with a mag-" the voice, belonging to one John Constantine, said as an image of the blonde man looking over a pile of books appeared on the mirror's surface. The Brit had glanced up and paused his speech with a wide-eyed look at Damien. "What the- you're sure as hell _not_ the kid," he said, narrowing his gaze. "How'd you get a hold of this, Wayne?" he asked with a glare, snapping a spellbook shut.

"What, so giving him lessons inside the manor isn't good enough now? What's with this magic mirror?" Damien asked, eyes narrowed in suspicion. The blonde simply raised an eyebrow, cogs turning in his head.

"That's none of your business, Wayne. Put the mirror back wherever you found it, and leave the kid's stuff alone," he growled, standing up and slamming his hands down onto his desk. "or I'll make sure that you do."

Damien scoffed, rolling his eyes at the magician. "You won't do anything, Constantine. Batman would-"

"So Bats' knows you're lookin' through the kid's stuff then?" John asked with a raised eyebrow, a smug aura radiating from the blonde through the glass. Damien's eyes narrowed at the European before setting the mirror back into the hole beside some large leather-bound book with runes covering the front and covering it with the plank.

He stood with a scoff, staring at the hole, which was glowing thanks to the mirror inside before he turned on his heel and left the bedroom. He'd figure out what Billy was hiding eventually- and next time he wouldn't touch the damn mirror.

\- - -

Victor pocketed his communicator and glanced around at the various heroes making plans of action. He caught sight of Zatanna dusting off her hat as Superman talked to her, only for her to nod and open a portal with a wave of her wand. 

"Zatanna, wait!" the young man called out, running over to the magician before she could step through the glowing doorway.

"Cyborg? What is it?" she asked, furrowing her brow at him. Superman raised an eyebrow at him, and he swallowed thickly. Oh, the things he did for this kid.

"Well I uh- I just wanted to make sure you knew what you were heading into," he said, swallowing thickly. "I got the specs for Belle Reve and the camera footage-" 

"Cy, I got the same debrief as you did. I know what I'm walking into. Besides," she said, placing a gloved hand on his shoulder, "my magic'll cover my back. Don't worry big guy- it's just a bit of tracking. Nothing dangerous, alright? I'll be fine on my own."

Cyborg nodded, trying to think of something to keep her there. "Well uh- I- uh- I got a transmission from Captain Marvel!" he said, gaining the attention of the Man Of Steel. 

"You heard from the Captain?" he asked, standing beside the slightly shorter man. Superman glanced at Zatanna before meeting Cyborg's eyes. "Is he okay? Did he say where he's been? Why he went dark?" he asked, tilting his head slightly in question.

Cyborg glanced between him and Zatanna, sweat beading on his brow. "Uh, well he uh- he... he said..." he trailed off, trying to think of some kind of excuse for the 10-year-old. "He's been- uh- having trouble with his civilian life," he said, glancing between the pair. "Major trouble, like, life-changing stuff."

Superman seemed to consider this, bringing a hand up to rub at his chin. "Is he okay?"

"He uh- well, no, but-"

"What?! What happened to him?" Zatanna asked in concern, grip tightening on her wand. 

"No no, he's fine- physically- he just- his uh, his magic has been on the fritz or something. He uh- he said it had something to do with a rock or something," he continued, remembering Billy saying something about a rock being tied to his powers. 

"The Rock of Eternity?" Zatanna asked slowly. "So...Cap hasn't been around because there's something wrong with the Rock? Or has he just not been able to there? His powers aren't like a battery that needs recharging, or at least, I don't think they are. Cyborg, this doesn't make any sense."

"I- I-"

"What are you still doing here, Zatanna? Batman needs that data from Belle Reve. Let's move," Wonder Woman said, coming into the room and making a beeline for the magician. The raven glanced up at Diana and nodded after a moment.

"Right- sorry. I'll- i'll be on my way," she said, glancing at Cyborg. "When I get back, I'll need you to tell me more. If something's wrong with the Rock of Eternity, it could be a major issue," she said, opening a portal again with a flick of her wand and stepping through it.

Hopefully, that would be enough time for Billy to do whatever it was that he needed to do. Cyborg hoped it would be.

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy St. Paddy's day!
> 
> Gimme some predictions or some of yall's thoughts!


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We're back to Billy's POV for a bit! Yay!

\- - -

**Hopefully, that would be enough time for Billy to do whatever it was that he needed to do. Cyborg hoped it would be.**

\- - -

When Captain Marvel's golden boots touched down at the main gates of Belle Reve, he was immediately greeted by a pair of security guards with large metallic guns in their hands. He gave them a smile, only to get a curt nod in return. "You'll have to excuse them, Captain-" a voice said, causing the demigod to glance up towards the entrance and at a dark-haired man in a deep blue uniform currently walking towards him.

"They're on edge because of the breach," the man said, holding out his hand for the raven to shake. "The name's Aman. A pleasure to meet you," he said, shaking Cap's hand before motioning for him to follow him into the penitentiary. "Though I am surprised the League sent you- our guys had come up with something magical in nature, so we were expecting someone like Zatanna or Dr. Fate."

"Oh uh, heh, right- well I'm pretty well-versed in magic myself- it's just not something I tend to advertise," he said as the pair passed through a metal detector, the Captain leaving out the part about the League not exactly sending him here at all, followed by the pair of armed guards. 

"You don't have to explain anything to me, Captain, don't worry. I'm a fan- I meant it when I said it was a pleasure to meet you," Aman continued, making the larger man rub the back of his neck with a blush. "The escape happened in cell 64A," he explained as they stepped into an elevator, the metallic doors sliding shut behind them.

"Who was in the cell?" Cap asked, Solomon already getting to work as the cogs in his mind began to turn.

The elevator doors opened and Aman led the Captain out, taking a manilla folder from another guard and opening it. "Morgaine Le Fay. She was a new arrival and we were just barely containing her power if I'm honest," he said, handing the file to Marvel. He scanned the information, continuing to follow Aman towards the cell. 

He hadn't had a run-in with the villainess himself, but Marvel knew the League had encountered her before he'd joined them and that she was chaotic and destructive- lusting after eternal youth and immortality and not allowing anyone to get in her way. A talented magician for sure, so it wasn't a surprise they had trouble keeping her there.

"Could she have managed to break herself out?" he asked as they turned a corner, closing the file and passing it off to a guard. Aman shook his head, though his motions were hesitant.

"She had an inhibitor collar on- it should have stopped any magic she could have conducted. We worked personally with Dr. Fate to ensure this, but..." Aman trailed off as they came closer to the cell. "There's always a chance," he said, looking at the cell in question.

Captain Marvel took the lead, passing by a couple of guards and scientists and walking into the cell itself- concrete walls, metal bars, a cot in the corner. It was a basic cell for a prison-like Belle Reve, but if a prisoner had an inhibitor collar on, this is the kind of cell that would be deemed necessary. 

A foul, residual energy permeated the air around him, thick and rolling over the demigod in waves. It was old magic, the kind of old that only beings like the Wizard and the Gods gave off. Morgaine Le Fay may be the same Morgaine of Arthurian legend, but even she wouldn't have this kind of power- not without help.

"That rules out the solo escape..." he mumbled to himself, only to get a look from Aman. "Sorry," he said, giving the man a small grin. "The magical energy in this cell is too old, too- too arcane to be Morgaine's. She had to have had help in escaping."

"That reminds me- could you get something from the footage?" Aman asked, a hand shoved into his suit pocket. 

Cap. thought it over for a moment before nodding. "Probably- but I have to hurry," he said. Zatanna would probably be here soon, and he really didn't need her questioning him about where he'd been. 

Aman was handed a tablet and turned it around to show the demigod a loop of the Cell. Morgaine was pacing around the small space with a thick silver-colored collar around her neck, cursing the guards by the looks of it. She continued to pace back and forth around the cell before a sudden warble appeared in the footage. Captain Marvel saw what looked like a dark, deep violet tinted with gold aura surround the villainess, though she seemed to be unaware of it. 

The footage fuzzed-out and warped for a moment, scrambling Morgaine's image. When it settled, the woman was gone. Captain Marvel narrowed his eyes at it, bringing a hand up to his mouth in thought. the magic was archaic for sure, that color set it in stone.

A golden tint to magic usually suggested ancient, divine magic, while a violet color usually meant the castor had an innate ability for it- that they didn't need spells to cast. Zatanna's magic tinted slightly purple at times, suggesting she had the capability of performing wordless magic, while Captain Marvel's own magic was a full and rich golden color- a reflection of the pantheon of gods that worked through him.

"Right- thank you, Aman. I'll have to get in touch with someone of my occult friends, but I can promise you that I'll do my best to get Morgaine Le Fay back," he said, giving the man a grin.

"I have no doubt that you and the League will do your best," Aman replied. 

"Wait, he's _here?_" a feminine voice said from down the hall, making the demigod tense. 

"Well, I'm gonna get right on that. Thank you so much again, Aman," he said before throwing his hand out and opening a portal. On any normal day, this kind of thing would take quite a bit of power and wasn't really something he was very good at yet, but the portal led to the Rock Of Eternity; a place he'd been able to make a portal to since day one.

The portal glowed with golden light and he stepped through it just as the sound of heels came clicking into the room he and Aman were in.

"Captain, wait!" Zatanna's voice echoed through the portal as he leaped through, landing in the Rock of Eternity on the other side and sealing it up tight. Someone much more powerful (and much more Egyptian) than Ztanna could open the portal again and follow him, but since Adam was nowhere to be found and was the only other person able to re-open a portal to the Rock, the demigod let out a breath of relief when it closed.

"Yeah, I'm gonna pay for that," he said to himself, running a hand through his hair before turning on his heel and walking further into the multiverse's center of magic. 

\- - -

The room was dark. Old, dripping candles were lit sparsely around the area, set precariously on the edges of shelves, chairs, and floor. The various sources of light flickered around the two figures poised in the center of the dark room, casting long shadows that danced along the walls.

"Are you sure you're ready for this...?" the first figure asked, a dark cloak resting upon thick, dark locks serving to cast the figure's eyes into shadow.

"You insult me," the second figure replied, also draped in a dark cloak that concealed their eyes, though the flickering lights danced upon golden, metallic curves that poked out from under the velvet cloak.

"The price for this ritual is high, you realize," the first figure said, only to get a sneer from the second. 

"With the gods of old, it always is."

The first figure rolled their shoulders. "Excuse me for wanting to make sure you wouldn't _bail_. She's been waiting for this plan to come to fruition for long enough."

"Yes, and why She lent _you_ her power, I'll never understand."

"Bite your tongue, I'm just as skilled a sorcerer as you."

"You seem to believe so."

The first figure rolled their eyes. "Let's get on with this. Best to not keep her waiting."

\- - -

Constantine had been at his desk for what felt like hours by this point, flipping through archaic books and old tomes in an attempt to find a solution to a particularly nasty possession in Suffolk. The obvious solution was to get someone with access to divine magic to cast a banishing spell, but John didn't really have anyone like that at his disposal currently. The sun had been at its peak when he'd started, and was sitting on the horizon by the time he deemed it necessary to take a break.

That wasn't due to any moral obligation, though, but rather because he had a severe lack of caffeine and nicotine at his disposal and Chas was being a complete arse about bringing him any more.

The blonde stood and stretched, rubbing at his eye tiredly. There was a knock at the door, which was odd in itself since the House of Mystery was cloaked and Chas had a key. John rolled his eyes at the knocking and set a new pot under the coffee maker before heading towards the front door. He swung it open with a disgruntled look, only to have the annoyance vanish at the sight of a certain overly-muscular raven standing in the doorway. 

"What, couldn't wait for me to come back to the rich bloke's place?" he asked, leaving the door open for Captain Marvel and heading back towards his brewing pot of liquid death. Marvel followed him in, hands fidgeting when John glanced back at him. The sight of the demigod reminded him of his squabble with the youngest Wayne, but he decided to keep quiet on that for now. The guy looked pretty upset.

"Alright, spill it kid," he said, grabbing a relatively clean mug from the sink and wiping it out with the edge of his shirt. 

"Okay, so I went to Belle Reve since there was a breakout and the League thought that it might have been because of magic, right," Cap started off, rambling about his time in the max security prison. The demigod started to pace as he talked, and John watched him from his spot leaning against the counter. 

"So I'm walking up to the cell that Morgaine Le Fay was in, which, amazingly, was just an ordinary cell, no extra wards or anything," he said, glancing at the blonde in exasperation, "-and I can feel this magical aura just permeating throughout the place. It was like a fog it was so thick, John, and when I looked at the footage, it was purple and gold. There was a tinge bit of green in there which didn't make a lot of sense but I- I just-" he let out a breath, running a hand through his hair.

"I had to get out of there pretty quick because Zatanna was about to show up and Solomon hasn't been able to come up with anything and I just--" the demigod looked frazzled, high-strung and panicked. 

"Kid, _breathe_. Power down and take a seat. When was the last time you slept?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest and raising a brow. The raven sputtered, shaking his head and continuing to pace.

"I uh- I slept last night, and I can't power down, this- this doesn't feel right. There's something going on here, John. I can't- I don't know what it is, but my gut tells me that something big is going on."

"Kid, your gut also tells you that it's a good idea to wear spandex and fight crime. I think that's a bit biased," John said, glancing back at the coffee pot when it began to beep. He grinned at the little machine and poured the black coffee into his mug, setting the pot back on its holder and glancing at the demigod.

"Okay, well, obviously not bein' able to come up with a solution is gettin' to you. Why don't you come help me with a possession in Suffolk, and then we can dedicate some time to figuring out whatever it is you're so worked up about," the blonde suggested, taking a sip of his coffee and melting at the hot bitter liquid hitting the back of his throat.

"I can show you how to do a proper banishing spell, and you can get rid of my little demon problem with that _divine_ magic you got!" he said, remembering he had a big godly battery standing right in front of him. 

Captain Marvel chewed on his bottom lip in thought, a habit John had seen the kid do plenty of times before, before meeting his eyes. "Alright- I should probably learn more occult magicks anyways," he said, setting his hands on his hips. "But we'll have to be quick. I gotta be back at the manor before anyone realizes I'm gone."

"Atta lad, sparkplug- Lemme finish this and we'll head off. You can tell me why you're avoidin' Zee on the way," he said, smacking the demigod on the arm and walking further into the House of Mystery.

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You knew this was coming, I knew this was coming, come on. Time for a Billy and John adventure.
> 
> Also, I got next to no motivation to write this thing so please please PLEASE leave me some comments to keep me going lol
> 
> Any predictions? Any thoughts?
> 
> I'd love to hear 'em!


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's kinda funny how I always end up shoving John and Billy together, huh? IDK, they just get on like a house on fire in my mind. Easily my favorite dynamic to write out of EVERYTHING.
> 
> Also, sorry for the delay- I had surgery on the 20th and have been recovering at home ever since. Been in a lot of pain, but that (and quarantine) has given me time to think over some scenes and get some things in order for this fic! :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo to all you new people, if you guys wanna see some sneak peeks and get updates on my fics, go check out my instagram!
> 
> I take suggestions, post little ficlets and give updates, and I'm probably gonna start doing collabs pretty soon too! I really wanna connect with yall and get to know my readers better!
> 
> Username: @starkvenger.ao3
> 
> Hope to see yall there!

\- - -

**"Atta lad, kid- Lemme finish this and we'll head off. You can tell me why you're avoidin' Zee on the way," he said, smacking the demigod on the arm and walking further into the House of Mystery.**

\- - -

"I don't know where he went. But I know that he was there, at Belle Reve, talking to the head guard. The place has footage of him going through the place and checking out the cell. I caught sight of him when I got there but he vanished before I could talk to him," Zatanna said, standing at the end of the meeting table. 

"The cell held Morgaine Le Fay, a strong sorceress," Zatanna continued, folding her arms over her chest. "I only know so much about her, and I'm sure Cap knows more." he shifted her weight to her other foot. "Cap's a good guy, I don't understand why he's avoiding us like this. He could be a huge asset to us in this."

"How did he vanish?" Superman asked, meeting her gaze.

"Uh- a portal. I tried to follow him but I was blocked for some reason," the magician replied, brow furrowing in confusion.

"Cyborg, Captain Marvel contacted you. What did he say when he got in touch with you? You said something about hisi magic, but you weren't clear," he asked, all attention turning towards one of the youngest members of the League. The former football star swallowed thickly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"He uh- well, Cap had uh- he's been dealing with some major major stuff in his home life. Life-changing stuff," he said, casting his gaze down when Superman gave him an unimpressed look. "He- uh- I told him about the Belle Reve stuff, so that's probably why he was there," he said, glancing around the room at the other heroes sitting around the large table. "But- but he called to check-in, with- with a personal phone. Like I said, he's got some major stuff happening, a lot of paperwork and moving around-"

"Moving around? Cyborg, this doesn't make sense," Superman pushed, shaking his head slightly.

"Well, well, I uh- there's uh- a lot of living changes he's going through, with his uh- house and stuff- family troubles and adoption and-"

"Did you just say adoption?"

Cyborg tensed, eyes widening slightly. "What?! NO! No! adoption? No! heh- I mean, uh- yeah, well, dog...adoption... that is. Not like- like child adoption, cause Cap doesn't have kids, but he's got a dog now! Heh..." 

"Ok, but why would he just contact _you_? Wouldn't it make way more sense to talk to Supes or Batman?" Flash asked, raising a brow at the younger man.

"Dude, Cap obviously trusts Cyborg the most, don't be bitter," Green Lantern retorted. 

"Regardless," Superman said with a pointed look at the pair before running a hand over his face, "We at least know that he's still active, or at least somewhat active, and _alive_," he glanced around the table. "We have to establish contact with him so next time he gets in touch with you, Cyborg, so tell us immediately."

The younger of the two nodded, shoulders still tense.

"Come on, Zee- we should tell Batman what you found."

\- - -

"For your first time, that went pretty well," John said as he scraped ectoplasm off his trenchcoat sleeve and slopped it onto the ground with a face. "Revolting and scarring for that poor girl, but pretty well."

The demigod gave him a guilty look, only to get a roll of the eyes from the blonde in response. "Don' gimme that look. With some counseling, she'll be just fine. Maybe she'll even become a horror writer someday, who knows," he said, swiping more slime from his coat and flicking it away before grabbing at the cigarettes in his pocket. 

"You're sure she's okay? There's no- no- fragments of demon left inside her or something?" Cap asked, following the Brit down the dimly lit street. The sun had long since vanished over the horizon and the stars had come out, shining brightly over the quaint little English neighborhood. 

"Mate, you fried that demon to a crisp. Even if there was anythin' left, it wouldn' do anythin'. It's like the charred bits on a piece of grilled chicken. Don't make that much of a difference, but easily torn off by some picky eater," he said before taking a long drag of a cigarette. "I'll tell you what though, I'm gonna be findin' this gunk everywhere for the next two weeks," he muttered, walking through a puddle in the road as he slung more slime off the edge of his coat.

"I'm sorry, John, I didn't know it was gonna explode..." Marvel trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah I didn' either, but you were a tad jumpy back there. Tenser than a violin string, you were," he said before taking another drag. "So come on then, lay the Belle Reve mess on me. You said somethin' about that hag Morgaine?" he asked as they walked. 

"Uh- yeah. Morgaine was broken out, but I'm still stuck on some of the details. Like, for instance, the magic that broke her out was purple and gold, meaning it had to be powerful, but there were hints of green mixed in there too."

"Green...? Mate, green's for low-level sorcerers," John said, raising a brow at the taller man.

"I know, that's why it's so confusing."

John's face scrunched up slightly in thought, taking another drag from his cigarette before dropping it on the street and smothering it beneath his shoe. "Well usually the only time green magic is mixed with another color is when some low-level punk is tryin' to amp up his power with an amulet or somethin'," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets. 

"That's what I thought too, but if its an artifact, it entwines itself with the sorcerer's aura, right?" Cap asked, glancing towards the blonde. At a confirming nod, he continued. "That's what I thought- see this, it was like the purple had smothered the green. Like whoever cast the spell was being used as a medium."

"Magical transfer... could be possible if whoever's behind this is desperate enough to get things in motion," John said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Your new dad got a hold oof me to see if any artifacts had been stolen recently-" John paused, shoulders scrunching up as he grabbed Captain Marvel's arm suddenly. "That reminds me! That demon brat, Django or whatever his name is, he got a hold of your mirror," he said with a light backhand to Marvel's muscled arm.

"What...?" Cap asked, stopping in his tracks. "Damien... Damien went through my stuff?" he asked, brow furrowed as his eyes met John's. "I- I must have left the loose board off the hole, but... why- why was he in my room...?"

The blonde gave him a look and Marvel cleared his throat. "Uh- I- I should get back. I need to figure out what to do about that."

"Right... well, you do that, I'll keep an eye out for any more magical surges. I'm sure the House of Mystery's got somethin' to help us out," John said with a pat to the shoulder. "I'll swing by the manor on Thursday for your lesson- we'll pick back up on the elemental stuff then, alright, kid?"

Captain Marvel nodded. "Yeah- th-thanks, John."

"I should be thankin' you, sparkplug- that possession would've been Hell to deal with without your divine magic."

The demigod smiled. "Night, John."

"Night, Kiddo."

\- - -

Damien was sitting on a stool in the Bat Cave polishing batarangs- he'd been doing so for the past 20 minutes after Alfred found him sneaking out of Billy's room and reprimanded him for it. He'd sent the 12-year-old down here, and his father had put him to work doing busy-work as punishment. 

He scoffed as he polished the metal edge, glancing at his reflection and sneering at the sight of a tear in his cloth. "Father, why do you even _need_ these polished? This is ridiculous_, _these are _weapons_," he grumbled, only to get a look from the caped crusader.

"After you finish that, you're going to wax the Batmobile," he said, getting a growl from the smaller raven. "Don't give me that, Damien. You went into your brother's room without his permission, without him even being in there- you know better. We're trying to make Billy feel _welcome_, not run him off." he said gruffly, running a hand through his hair and getting a roll of the eyes from his son.

"And you're not even worried that he's gone!? He snuck out again, and you-"

"He went to see Constantine."

"He- What? How do you know?"

"Tim told me," Bruce said with a look towards the 12-year-old. "He said that Billy told him he wanted to get better at magic on his own terms, and if that means seeing Constantine in his own time, then..." he trailed off, shaking a thought away. "Regardless, Tim said he had a tracker on him, so he knows where Billy is."

"I thought you were _against_ trackers now."

"I am- _Tim's_ not," Bruce replied, the corner of his mouth turning up slightly. "Besides, I trust Billy to handle himself."

"You do _not_. You don't trust anyone, Father."

"I trust Dick, I trust Alfred. Hell, I trust Superman...to an extent," Bruce said, glancing from the computer towards his second-youngest son. 

Damien rolled his eyes, opening his mouth to retort when an alert appeared on the screen. Bruce pulled down his cowl and answered the call, shoulders squared. "What is it?" he asked upon the sight of Superman and Zatanna.

"Info from Belle Reve...among other things," Zatanna said with a slightly irritated look off to the side. Batman furrowed his brow slightly at the comment but motioned for her to continue. "Well I used a spell to see the kind of aura that Morgaine used to break out, but get this, it wasn't her using magic. Someone else broke her out," she said, getting the Dark Knight to sit forward slightly.

"And judging by the magic, it was someone powerful and old. Like, older than Morgaine," Zatanna continued, crossing her arms over her chest. 

Superman glanced at her before looking back at Batman. "In addition to that, apparently Marvel showed up at Belle Reve," he said, a hand on his hip. Bruce tensed, head flicking toward the Kryptonian. "He was there before Zatanna- and vanished when she tried getting a hold of him."

"_That_ makes zero sense," Damien said with a roll of his eyes, getting a glare from Batman. 

"Silence."

Superman met Batman's gaze once more. "Cyborg said the Captain got in touch with him, that must have been where he got the info, but it doesn't make sense why he'd run from us," he said, crossing his arms. "Even if he hasn't checked in in a while, it doesn't explain why he'd run at the sight of Zatanna."

"There's something else going on here," Batman said, leaning back slightly in his chair. 

"What's the plan?" Superman asked, tilting his head slightly.

Batman was quiet for a moment, hand to his chin in thought. When he finally looked back up at the screen, his expression was set. "Get Cyborg down to the manor. I need to talk to him face to face and see just what the Captain has going on."

"Alright- I'll let him know."

"Batman out."

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so a little thing- More powerful magicians, ones intrinsically tied to magic like gods and people like Dr. Fate can see magic all the time. They can just see auras without having to cast a spell. So Cap can just see the auras. Other people like Constantine and Zatanna though, have to cast a spell in order to see the magical remnants. 
> 
> Just a little bit of canon for this universe, not necessarily canon per comics. 
> 
> Also, yeah, Tim straight-up lied for Billy. There's no tracker. Alfred was tired of having them mess up the washing machine when he did laundry so he banned them. :3


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy comes home and things go sour.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No jokes here, just another chapter!
> 
> Enjoy!

\- - -

**"Batman out."**

\- - -

Captain Marvel landed in the clearing by the manor quietly, glancing around to see if anyone was around before transforming and taking off towards the large house. He pulled out his phone to text Tim and ask if Dick was asleep- it'd make things a lot easier if he was either knocked out or not in his room. He aw a text from the raven lighting up his screen and furrowed his brow at it. 

** _8:47pm_ **

_TIM💥: Covered for you. Fam thinks you're seeing Constantine. "Sneak" in through the front and trip the silent alarm. It'll let Bruce know you're back and he won't go looking for you._

** _11:13pm_ **

_YOU: Thanks, Tim, coming through the front rn_

_TIM💥: **Typing...**_

_ No problem kid._

Billy pocketed the device and went around front, swallowing thickly and ignoring his instincts to not waltz through the front door of an expensive mansion at nearly midnight. He went to open the front door before pausing and glancing at a large window. A small grin tugged at the corner of his cheek and he went to climb through. 

He shimmied through the crack he's managed to open in the window before tugging it closed behind him and leaning against the glass. Billy glanced around before straightening his clothes and running a hand through his hair. He started towards the main staircase when a figure out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. He tensed, head flicking towards the shadow and hands curling into fists instinctively.

"Batman- I- I mean Mr. Wayne-" he blurted out, blinking at the sight of Bruce with his cowl down leaning on the door frame. "I- I uh-" he swallowed thickly. It would probably always be weird to see Batman without his cowl- and even weirder to know that the man underneath was his foster father. "I was just..." he trailed off. Tim had said he told Bruce where he 'was', but that expression told a different story.

Bruce must have realized he was making a face, cause he startled for a moment before running a hand over his face. "Where you been?" he asked, tilting his head slightly in question. Billy tried to keep his eyes off the Bat insignia on the man's chest, maybe it wouldn't feel like an interrogation from the Dark Knight if he did that- yeah nope, it still felt like that.

"I uh- I went to see John... is that okay?" he asked, hoping Tim had been telling the truth. 

Bruce nodded, taking a drink from the glass that BIlly only just realized he was holding. "That's fine, Billy, just tell me next time, alright?" he asked, ruffling the kid's hair as he walked by him. 

"Where are you going?" he asked as the billionaire made his way towards the library.

"I have a meeting with someone from the Justice League in a little bit- don't worry about that though. It's late, you head to bed, okay? We have a tutor coming tomorrow to asses you," he said, holding on to the doorframe of the library. Billy nodded slowly, making his way towards the staircase. Bruce watched him, mouth turned up slightly. Billy started to climb the stairs, and Bruce vanished into the library.

"Who could it be...?" he muttered to himself as he climbed the velvet-carpeted stairs, brow furrowed in thought. He wondered if it was Superman. If anyone would know where the Batcave was, it'd be him. Though, Bruce probably lined the entire place with lead so that Superman couldn't-

"Cyborg's coming."

Billy yelped at the sound of a voice in front of him, cornflower eyes locking with emerald ones. Shock was quickly replaced with anger, however, when Billy realized just who those green eyes belonged to. "You went through my stuff!" he said angrily, pointing an accusatory finger at Damien.

The elder raven opened his mouth to retort and Billy jammed his finger into his chest. "Don't even try to deny it, John told me you did!"

Damien scrunched his brow together before rolling his eyes. "Get over yourself, I've already been punished," he said, shoving Billy's finger away. The shorter of the two sputtered, his cheeks turning bright pink in anger.

"You still shouldn't've gone in my room! I _locked_ it!" he growled, fists balled at his sides as he shook. Damien made a dismissing motion and crossed his arms.

"LIke a lock could stop me."

"I don't care if it could or couldn't stop you, its the principle of the thing!" Billy shouted, chest heaving as he glared at the boy. "I locked my room, and that should have been the key for you to go away and not look through my stuff!"

"Well, why do you have some old archaic book anyways?! Why're you hiding something like that!? _You're_ the suspicious one here!"

"I don't have to tell you why I do or don't have that book! It's mine, and that's all you need to know!!"

Billy was suddenly lifted into the air away from Damien's fist (which was nearly about to connect with his face) and pressed against something firm. He struggled against the grip on instinct, not noticing Damien also being scooped up by someone else. 

"Whoa, whoa, calm down, squirt, calm down," the person holding him said, with a voice he recognized belonging to Jason. The taller man glanced down at him with a raised eyebrow and a small grin, holding him against his side. "What's goin' on up here?" he asked, glancing towards Damien, who was being held back by Dick.

"What'd he do to you, kid?" Jason asked, only to get a roll of the eyes from Dick.

"Jay, you can't just assume that Damien's the problem here." After a look from Jason, he sighed and glanced down at the 12-year-old. "Alright, what'd you do?"

Damien stayed quiet, arms crossed over his chest and still squirming against where Dick had him on his hip. "He went through my stuff. I locked my door and he picked the lock or something, and went through my stuff!" Billy said angrily, hand balling into a fist against Jason's chest.

The elder two glared at Damien and the boy scoffed. "Father already punished me, don't even bother."

"Doesn't matter if he punished you, brat, you obviously didn't learn anything from it," Jason said with a glare, while Dick rolled his eyes.

"Jason, calm down. Damien, come on, you know better, little man," Dick said, trying to get the 12-year-old to look at him. "I want you to apologize to Billy."

"I already did."

"You did not! You accused me of being suspicious!"

"I told you who father was meeting with, didn't I?! That's what you were wanting to know!"

Dick sighed, adjusting the boy on his hip. "Damien, we've talked about this. Most people need to hear the words 'i'm sorry' come out of your mouth. Doing something like that doesn't get you out of apologizing."

A sudden trill rang out, silencing the boys. Billy's eyes widened as he felt his communicator buzz inside his pocket, and Dick furrowed his brow. He reached into his own pocket and pulled out a small silver box, clicking a button and furrowing his brow even further. "What the...?"

Dick turned his comm around to show that it wasn't his going off. "Jason, is it yours?" he asked, and the shorter of the two rolled his eyes.

"I doubt it. Barely know how to work the damn thing."

"Well, get it out."

Jason rolled his eyes against and set Billy down, the boy's hands immediately going to his pockets. He shut off the ringing as Jason pulled his comm out, turning it over in his hands. "Yeah, I have no idea how this thing works. Why did they even give me this dumb thing? I feel like I'm at their beck and call."

"Dude, that's a part of being in the League," Dick said, setting Damien down and taking Jason's comm. "Ok, weird. Cyborg must have sent out some kind of test or something," Dick said with a shake of his head.

"Why the hell are you people being so God damn loud!? _Some_ of us have work in the morning and can't get any sleep with all this yelling!" Tim said, poking his head out of his room from down the hall. He glared at the four boys in the hall and Billy took this as a chance to sneak away. He bolted towards his room and shut the door behind him, sliding down with his back against the wooden frame.

The 10-year-old let out a sigh before standing up and heading over to the loose board in the floor. Damien must have replaced it, he thought as he picked the plank up to look inside the hole. The items inside were half-hazardly placed, definitely not how Billy had arranged them, and the boy sighed as he picked up his spellbook and set it on the floor. "Gotta find a better place for you," he muttered towards the book before picking up his silver mirror.

He ran a hand over the glass, staring at his reflection. It'd been a while since he'd just sat and stared at his reflection. The 10-year-old touched his cheek, noting that it was fuller and had more color than when he'd been on the streets. That was something he'd already assumed though, since Alfred had made sure that he ate three meals a day at least.

The thought brought a smile to his face- it'd been such a long time since someone genuinely cared about his well-being. 

He'd have to thank Alfred sometime.

\- - -

When Cyborg appeared in the Zeta beam, Batman was waiting for him with back straight and eyes narrowed. The younger man glanced around in awe at the sight of the Batcave, and Bruce couldn't help the twinge of pride that swelled in his chest. He forgot sometimes just how impressive the Cave was.

"Cyborg," he said, snapping the man's attention back to him.

"Y-Yessir?" the former football star said, his frame tense. He was nervous- though whether that was due to this meeting or because of him, Bruce wasn't sure.

"Superman said Captain Marvel got into contact with you," he said, turning to walk towards the Bat Computer, confident the younger man would follow him. "He said you informed the Captain of what happened at Belle Reve, and that the man showed up there, but ran from Zatanna."

Cyborg swallowed thickly and nodded, his metallic boots falling heavily on the cave floor.

"My question for you," he said, grabbing the top of the swivel chair and turning it around, "What are you two hiding?"

Cyborg's eyes grew wide- so the pair _were_ hiding something; it'd been only a hunch until that expression crossed his face. Bruce narrowed his eyes at the younger man, taking a seat in the chair and folding his hands. He waited for Victor to say something and raised an eyebrow when he opened his mouth.

"I don't- I don't understand."

"Victor."

"We- I- we're not hiding anything, Bats. Cap's- He's going through some stuff right now. It's not my place to tell you what exactly that is."

Bruce was quiet for a moment, eyes narrowed on the younger man. "You know his identity."

Cyborg tensed, and the billionaire sighed. Again, this had been a hunch of his, but the younger man's mannerisms confirmed the theory. Cyborg dropped his head, reaching a hand up to rub at the back of his neck. "I can't tell you who he is, Batman."

"I figured as much."

Cyborg met his eyes, confusion etched into his features. "Then why-"

"Is he okay?"

Victor blinked. "I- Y-yeah. I think. He's doing better than he used to."

"Tell him to check in with me. Not the League, _me_. He's integral if we're going to figure out what's going on with Morgaine, and if he is active, despite whatever is going on in his life, he needs to relay information if he's got it." Bruce said, glancing up at the large monitor. "I have a feeling that this is far from over, and if you're going to withhold information like this, then he needs to come to me himself."

"Y-Yes sir."

Cyborg moved to punch something into his arm, glancing up at Batman before turning his gaze back on the panel on his arm. "I just sent him an alert."

"Good," Bruce said, standing up. "Now, I want you to look into magical artifacts that may have gone missing within the last couple of weeks."

"Alright."

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you thought or give me a prediction or Billy gets it. 
> 
> *holds up carrot threateningly*


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lots of perspective jumping, but I think it's time we kick things into high gear around here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm always very happy when I can give all multiple chapters multiple days in a row. V proud, good job, me lol

\- - -

**"Good," Bruce said, standing up. "Now, I want you to look into magical artifacts that may have gone missing within the last couple of weeks."**

\- - -

"You _Idiot!_ This could set us back _weeks!_" the feminine voice rang out through the cavern, echoing off its damp walls. 

"I will handle this, _woman_. Calm down, seriously."

"You're a new low, even for her."

"_You're_ just jealous you weren't the one she chose."

"I'm upset because she chose an _imbecile_ as a medium."

"Well this imbecile will become the most powerful sorcerer this realm has ever seen, and then you'll see!"

The figure rolled her eyes. "Unlikely. Hurry up. The longer we waste time, the angrier she'll be."

\- - -

Damien scowled as he trudged back to his room, fists curled tightly at his side. Billy was hiding something, he knew that- Jason and Dick may overlook his quirks and see the kid as some angel, but Damien knew better. He trusted no one, especially not that street rat.

Sure, he was annoyingly sunny, and- yeah, he was obnoxiously honest about his feelings... and... maybe he wasn't afraid to tell Damien off...

The 12-year-old tried to ignore the twinge of guilt he felt for being angry with Billy- the moment he'd gone off on Damien, he'd felt respect bloom for the younger boy. He wasn't- he wasn't a bad kid. Damien knew that much. Billy was too genuine to be a villain.

But that communicator-

The 12-year-old growled, throwing a punch into his wall out of frustration. He was left breathing heavily, glaring at a spot on his wall in anger. "Why is it that no one else can see that you're- you're-" he let out a shaky breath.

"I don't know what you are, Batson..." he muttered, thinking back to the confrontation in the hall. "But I know a Justice League communicator when I hear one."

He'd _seen_ Billy's face when the communicator had gone off. There was fear in his eyes. There was something there that told him Billy was hiding something. When his hand had gone to his pocket, he'd realized it was _Billy_ that had the communicator. 

Now why did a formerly homeless 10-year-old have a Justice League-issued communicator?

Damien's instincts were screaming for him to investigate further, but he ignored them. He didn't need another meltdown from Billy, nor did he need another lecture from Pennyworth. He straightened, rolling his eyes at the dent in the wall before turning towards his bed. "Your days are numbered, Batson..." he muttered, fist tight at his side. "It's time I go back to investigating you."

He pulled out his laptop and set to work- he needed to figure this out immediately.

\- - -

Billy's head fell and smacked against the table as he let out a bored groan. There was an array of different textbooks, pamphlets, and paper packets spread across the long dining room table, coalescing at the end where the 10-year-old sat and regretting his life choices. 

The small raven sighed with his forehead pressed against the cool wooden table before hearing a snicker come from the doorway. He glanced towards the noise, finding Jason with a mug of coffee in his hand and a smirk on his face.

"You look like you're havin' fun," he said before taking a sip of his drink.

Billy glared at him before glancing down at the array of material from different grades. The tutor Bruce had brought in was currently talking with the man in the next room over, while Alfred was busy making sandwiches in the kitchen. He'd been at this all morning- they figured out he was at a 1st-grade level when it came to math, but was at a 3rd-grade level when it came to reading. 

He was at a 7th grade level on certain aspects of history, namely ones that had to do with Egyptian or Greco-Roman history, but at a kindergarten level when it came to American topics. It was times like this that Billy _really_ wished the Wisdom of Solomon carried over to his mortal form.

"Mr. Wexly says I'm all over the place..." he mumbled, pillowing his head in his arms on the table with a pout. "I haven' gone to school since I was like, 6, so..." he trailed off, dropping his gaze. Jason gave him a small smile, walking over to the table and setting down his mug in order to look at the material surrounding the 10-year-old.

"Well, we can always do a private tutor. Me and Dick had one until we were in middle school, and Damien was gonna have one, but Alfred insisted he get social enrichment," he said with a snort. "Though personally, I think he just didn't wanna deal with the brat all day. I know I wouldn't," he said into his cup before taking a swig of his drink.

Billy chuckled, rolling a pencil across the table. He glanced up when Mr. Wexly and Bruce came back into the room, the billionaire clapping a hand on the much thinner man's shoulder. Bruce glanced towards Billy, and the boy grinned tiredly at him. 

"How's it goin'?" he asked, to which Billy sighed and rested his head in one of his hands.

"I'm doin' the best I can," he said, glancing down at the work. A twinge of familiarity sparked in him- this was almost like when Cap volunteered to look over mission reports and Batman would come to check on him after 6 hours straight. In fact, Billy was pretty sure he'd said that exact thing to Batman before- he glanced up at the billionaire. 

His brows were furrowed- he must have recognized the similarity as well. Billy swallowed thickly and shut the textbook currently open in front of him abruptly before leaning back in his chair. "But it's hard- well, math is hard, but reading's only kinda hard. But I do keep mixing up letters," he said, hoping to move Bruce off of the deja-vu and get him to focus on the here and now.

_'Don't connect me and Cap, don't connect me and Cap-'_

"Well, if you never had to read anything that challenged you, I can understand why," Bruce said, and Billy could see the man visibly shaking the Dark Knight away. "But we'll help you out," he said with a soft smile. 

"Sure will, squirt," Jason said, ruffling Billy's hair before setting off towards the kitchen to refill his cup.

"From what we've gone over, Mr. Wayne, I wouldn't recommend putting him into the fifth grade. A private tutor would be best for him since he needs help in various areas and his learning methods are so un-classroom like," Mr. Wexly said, folding his hands with a soft smile. "Though that is just a recommendation, you're free to do as you wish."

Bruce nodded and glanced at Billy. "I think a private tutor would be best too. Flexible schedule and such," he said, and Billy nodded in agreement. One of the reasons he hadn't been in school while homeless was because it took too much time out of his day when he could have been patrolling or helping people- not that Mr. Wayne knew that, though.

"On that note, I have a couple of calls to make. Thank you, Mr. Wexley, for everything. Billy, you can take a break if you need one, okay?" Bruce said, glancing towards the 10-year-old. The small raven smiled and nodded, sliding the chair he was in out from the table and hopping down. He bolted past Alfred and up the stairs, causing the butler to raise a brow.

"I'll take _that_," Jason said, snatching the sandwich that had been intended for Billy off the plate with a smirk. "Thanks, Alf," he said, giving the man a mock salute before taking a bite out of it.

\- - -

Billy took the stairs two at a time with a wide smile on his face. He'd gotten a letter from Freddy that morning telling him he'd not only gotten into a good foster home, but that he had a phone now too, and the 10-year-old was eager to call his oldest friend.

He pulled the folded paper out of his hoodie pocket and glanced down at it, tapping the numbers into his phone and adding Freddy's contact to it as he clambered onto the bed. He was giddy- it'd been nearly three weeks since he'd spoken to Freddy, and he'd only been able to go to Fawcett City 3 or 4 times in that time. He needed to know what was going on back home and wanted to see how his friend was doing.

Before he could press the dial button, however, Billy felt vibrations in his covers. He glanced down at his hiding spot, seeing it glowing brightly- John must be trying to get a hold of him. He furrowed his brow and set the phone down, uncovering the hole and pulling out the silver mirror.

"John?" he said, rubbing the ruby at the top of the mirror and looking into the glass.

"Kid? You there?" John said from the other side, an image of a disheveled blonde appearing. Billy tensed at the sight- sure, John was never really completely put together, but he looked like he'd gone on a week-long bender or something. 

"Yeah I'm here- John, what's wrong?" 

"It's bad, kid. _Really_ bad."

"John, dramatics aren't gonna help me out here. _What's_ really bad?" he asked, brow furrowed. Not many things could freak out _John Constantine_, so Billy was already on edge. 

"Let's just say we're gonna need the big guy's help," John said, running a hand through his hair before taking a long drag on his cigarette.

"What...?"

The image suddenly jostled, and John cried out indignantly. Billy tilted his head in confusion before a brunet with a shaved head appeared on the screen with a tired smile. "Chas!" Billy said with a wide grin.

The elder brit nodded once and sighed. "What John's tryin' to say is that we've got a major magical problem and we need you to help us out."

Billy furrowed his brow once more. "Well, what is it? You guys are being really vague."

"Cause John doesn't trust the mirror since that Wayne kid found it."

Billy rolled his eyes. "Would you rather I came there?" he asked, to which John nodded dramatically in the background. "Well I mean, I might be able to get away..." Billy said, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously. "I can have Tim cover for me or something."

"Make it quick, mate. We're gonna need all the magical help we can get."

Billy nodded, ending the call quickly and grabbing his phone. He set the mirror back in the hole and covered it before turning his attention to his phone. "Sorry Freddy," he muttered to himself before going to Tim's contact.

**12:36 pm**

_**YOU:** hey Tim can I ask a favor of u??_

_ I need an excuse_

_ I hate asking u constantly but_

_ Tim? u there?_

_ **TIM💥: Typing...** _

_ wejfs ads ssa_

_ Yeah._

_ I got you. Go._

_**YOU:** wat the heck was that???_

** _ TIM💥: Typing... _ **

_ Don't worry about it._

Billy furrowed his brow at his phone, but decided to trust Tim, despite the weird feeling in his gut telling him something was off. He glanced at the window and sighed, hoping Dick wasn't in his room as he opened the panels and began to clamber down.

He needed to hurry, if John was this freaked out, it had to be bad.

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a little shorter than I'd like for it to be, but it was either that or waaaayyyy too long. 
> 
> Anywho, what do you think? give a warm welcome to Chas Chandler btw!


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, I had to move into my new apartment and get settled in before I could get this out to yall, not to mention finals are coming up and they're already kickin' my ass...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God Damn it, I just realized how similar to another, older fic if mine this is turning out to be...
> 
> ugh, here's hoping I can steer it away from being too similar.
> 
> Also... why can't I stop writing Billy and John scenes....
> 
> (Probably cause I'm like one of the only people who writes them and I'm fulfilling my own need to see them interact on a friendly basis, *LOOKS AT COMICS IN DISTAIN*)

\- - -

**He needed to hurry, if John was this freaked out, it had to be bad.**

\- - -

Captain Marvel touched down outside the House of Mystery's temporary location (currently it was wedged between a donut shop and a bank in Philidelphia) and walked up to the door. He opened it, looking around when the glass doors that looked like they held a laundromat opened to reveal a lush victorian living room. "John?" he called out, brow furrowed in confusion.

"He's in the library," a familiar voice said from the kitchen, causing the demigod to glance that way. Chas was busy making a pot of pitch-black coffee, and gave him a mock salute. "He's turnin' that room into a bloody smokehouse," he said as he leaned against the counter.

Marvel glanced towards the library and set off towards it, shoulders back and head forward. "John," he said, opening the door and poking his head inside. "I'm here, what's going...on...." the raven blinked at the sight of John with multiple cigarettes lit and sitting in an ashtray. The blonde was hunched over a couple of archaic spellbooks and tomes, brow furrowed in concentration. 

"John?" 

The man looked up and his eyes widened. "Kid!"

"What's got you freaked out like this?" Cap asked as he came closer, glancing down at the spellbook John had spread around him before meeting the Brit's eyes. 

The blonde ran a hand through his hair before grabbing one of the lit cigarettes and taking a drag. "Oh you know, a bit of this, a bit of that, a bit of woRLD DESTRUCTION-" he said, his eye twitching slightly.

"When was the last time you slept?"

"Four days ago, but that's- that's not important."

"John, dude, come on. You gotta sleep. Maybe this isn't as big of a deal as you think it is," Cap said, putting his arms out placatingly. "Why don't we get you all comfy over on the couch over there, and when you wake up you can tell me what's going on," he said, attempting to get the man over to the old couch in the corner of the room.

Chas came in behind him, bringing with him the smell fo freshly brewed coffee. "Get _that_ out," Cap said, glancing back at the brunet and glaring at the mug in his hands. Chas's eyes widened and he backed out slowly. Cap turned his attention back to John, arms still out.

"No, no, kid you don't understand. This- this is world-ending stuff." he said, hands shaking slightly. "I gotta find the- the right spell, and- and-" John took another long drag before blowing smoke out half-hazardly.

"Alright, John, come on, please don't make me force you to sleep."

John glared at him, and the Captain gave him a warning look back. "You- you're a bloody cocksu-" Cap rolled his eyes and flicked his wrist, muttering a spell under his breath to put the brit to sleep. John collapsed but Cap was quick to catch him and set him down on the old couch.

Marvel let out a sigh, rubbing a temple before grabbing a blanket and setting it over the magician before walking towards his desk. He took a seat in John's spot, glancing around at the spell books that surrounded him.

"Did you get him to sleep?" Chas asked, poking his head through the door. "Ah- I'll take that as a yes," he said upon hearing John's snoring.

"Any idea what he was talking about?" Marvel asked, glancing up from the ancient pages to look at Chas. The man shook his head in response, bringing the mug meant for John to his mouth. 

"Not really. He just started rantin' and ravin' about Morgaine Le Fay and the Greek gods and how they're a bunch of pri-" he paused at Captain Marvel's unimpressed look. "Sorry. But uh- no. He wouldn't elaborate. Said he'd explain everything when you got here."

"Guess we'll just have to wait for him to wake up, then," Cap said, leaning back in the chair slightly. Not for the first time, he was thankful that the House of Mystery existed outside the laws of Time and Space. It meant he could spend hours in here while only minutes passed outside- something he'd taken advantage of plenty of times.

"I'll try to figure out some semblance of what he was talking about from these," the demigod said, glancing down at the books. "But I think the main thing will just be waiting for John to snap out of it and wake up."

\- - -

By the time John woke up, Captain Marvel had only managed to comb through one of the tomes- though, that tome did have over 800 pages to it, so the demigod considered it a partial win. Constantine groaned as he sat up, blinking blearily and yawning before glancing around the room.

"What the..." he slurred, narrowing his eyes at Cap before rubbing one of them. "Kid?"

"Have a nice nap?" the raven asked with a grin, only to get a roll of the eyes from the man. He stood and stretched, scratching at his hair before leaving the room- likely in search of coffee. Captain Marvel followed him, glancing at Chas when he and John came into the kitchen. 

"What happened...?" John asked as he poured himself a mug of black coffee.

"You were freaking out about magic stuff and sleep-deprived, so I..." Cap gestured vaguely. "...put you to sleep."

John's eyes widened, the mug in his hand dropping to the floor and shattering into a million clay pieces. Cap and Chas glanced at one another worriedly before the demigod looked back at John. "What is it?" he asked, tilting his head slightly before John was suddenly running past him, his coattails smacking the demigod on the arm. "Uhh...John?"

He followed the blonde through the door to the study and scratched at his temple in confusion. John snapped one of the books he'd had open on his desk shut, sending up a cloud of dust before he grabbed the book and opened a portal in the middle of the room with a flick of his wrist.

"I take it you haven't _felt_ the cosmos entangling themselves?" John asked, expression stern. Cap furrowed a brow, glancing back at Chas before meeting the Hellblazer's eyes again.

"No... wha- why would I?"

John rolled his eyes, shaking his head and gesturing towards the glowing portal. "Because you decided to put me to sleep, I don't have much time to explain. What we're dealing with is big. Those prattish Gods of yours-- or one of them, at least, is on some kind of warpath. There's divine magic at play, here. _Dangerous_ divine magic." His grip on the book tightened slightly. "I don't know the details, but I can tell something is off with the balance. I'm right surprised you can't feel it."

The demigod rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Well, I- I mean, I have been preoccupied..." he trailed off, John giving him an unimpressed look. "I mean- I haven't been to the Rock of Eternity in a while, maybe I'd feel it there?"

"Look, that doesn't matter now. We're past that. What matters now is we put a stop to whatever god or goddess or mythical beast is trying to rip apart reality to walk among mortals in the modern age," John said, letting out a sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Wait, Chas said you mentioned something about Morgaine. Do you- do you think she's involved in this or something?" Cap asked with a furrowed brow.

John shook his head with a roll of his shoulder, hand going into his pocket to fish out a cigarette. "That's the theory. Come on. We'll have to track her if we want any chance in stopping...whatever the hell is going on."

"Right," Cap said with a nod, rubbing at his chin absently in thought. There wasn't a direct line that he could think to draw between any of his pantheon and Morgaine- she operated in arcane magic like him, sure, but she drew her powers mainly from nature and eldrich spirits like Merlin and most magicians from the middle ages did, not from Greek and Roman deities.

John was suddenly snapping in his face, pulling the demigod from his train of thought. "Will you _please_ go through the bloody portal? We're wasting time here."

"Right, sorry..."

\- - -

Captain Marvel stepped out into darkness, his brow furrowing in confusion. He could see fine, but what exactly he saw in the darkness was what confused him. A small, concrete room with a small bed, metal toilet...and...singed...walls... He turned towards John as the man stepped out of the portal, head immediately darting towards a camera positioned in the corner of the room and blinking rhythmically at them. 

"Why did you bring us to Belle Reve?!" Cap asked in a panicked whisper, eyes wide as he stared at the Hellblazer. John had immediately set to work, spellbook open, and resting on one forearm while he recited the words and held a hand out towards where Cap could see magical residue on the floor. 

"John, I already ran from the Justice League once- if they see me here-" he glanced back up at the camera nervously. "Yeah, I'm a dead man."

John glanced at him out of the corner of his eyes annoyedly as he continued to recite the ancient text. The residue on the floor began to glow before suddenly being absorbed by the blonde man. John gasped, the spellbook snapping shut as a hand clutched his chest. He was breathing heavily as his knees wobbled, eyes fluttering shut tightly and lips curling into a pained snarl.

"Damnit..." he breathed, gripping the spellbook tightly. Cap came closer, a hand out to steady the Hellblazer. John glanced at the large hand on his shoulder but didn't say anything, simply shutting his eyes tightly as sweat bead on his brow.

"What was that spell, John?" Marvel asked slowly, bending over slightly to put himself in the man's field of view as he was bent over slightly, gaze glued to the floor.

"Told you...it was a tracker..." he muttered, sweat dripping off his brow. The demigod tensed when the prison's alarm systems suddenly started going off, a blaring sound accompanied by bright, flashing red lights.

"We got a get out of here," Cap said, throwing his hand out to cast a spell, only to have John grab his wrist.

The blonde was clutching his abdomen by this point, and still breathing heavily. "Rock..." he said gruffly, swallowing thickly as he glared Cap in the eyes. "Take... the bloody Rock..." Cap nodded once and opened a portal leading to the Rock of Eternity- though why the man wanted to go there of all places was beyond him.

"Alright, up we go," Cap said, scooping John up into a fireman's hold and stepping through the portal. 

He came out the other side and stepped onto a familiar smooth, cold rock floor. The demigod felt his anxiety wash away, like a wave of relief had crashed into him. Yeah, he'd probably stayed away from the Rock of Eternity a tad too long. He hadn't realized there had been this tugging in his core, but now that he was here, it felt like a tightness in his chest was gone, like his shoulders weren't carrying a monumental weight.

Cap straightened slightly, carrying John further into the Rock of Eternity's chambers, despite the annoyed look John was currently giving him.

He set the blonde down in the center chamber, a large, circular room with a large stone throne against the back wall. Stalagtites hung from the ceiling, interspersed with holes in the rock that allowed a billion brilliant stars to shine through. "Right- so why'd you wanna come to the rock, then?" Cap asked, setting one hand on his hip and scratching at his chin with the other.

"Needed a place outside of Earth... easier to track Morgaine." John breathed, still holding his abdomen. For some reason, John was refusing to look at him- he wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Maybe you should rest, John. That spell looks like it took a lot out of you."

"I've done enough restin' you git. We have to hurry if we wan' to stop whatever that witch has planned." he said, glaring at some far off rock.

Cap was worried about him- sure, John had never been the real lovey-dovey type, but he always had at least some warmth to him. That spell must have really knocked him off-kelter.

"But the Rock of Eternity exists outside of time."

John glared at him, finally making eye contact, causing the man to put his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright. No rest. Where's Morgaine, then?"

"...Gotham."

"You have gotta be shitting me."

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #LETBILLYBATSONSAYFUCK2020
> 
> Anyways, tell me what you guys thought. Any predictions? Any complaints? Anyone wanna tell me I'm spelling Damien wrong for the 800th time?


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe we should check back in with the Waynes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I re-read the Shazam comics that I got (issues 1-9) last night and completely forgot about some of the stuff that happens in it- but it made me very excited for when issues 10 and 11 come in the mail and for when issue 12 gets released physcially. :3
> 
> It also gave me the motivation to crank this chapter out real fast too! 
> 
> So enjoy!
> 
> That is a threat.

\- - -

**"You have gotta be shitting me."**

\- - -

Tim sat in the middle of his bedroom, tied to his desk chair and wishing he lived with normal people as the much taller raven he called his brother walked in circles around him. Tim rolled his eyes and rested his head on the top of his chair, wishing this idiot would just untie him and let him do his paperwork... Commissioner Gordan was gonna be on his ass if he didn't have it finished by tomorrow morning.

"I really don't want to mess up your cables, but I will if I have to," he said, picking up his head and watching Jason start to pace in front of him with Tim's phone in his hand. Though he'd never show it, he hated that Jason had not only gotten a hold of it when Billy texted him, but managed to text back. Now, he was 'holding Tim hostage' until he coughed up the truth.

Suffice it to say, it wasn't going well for elder Wayne.

"Why won't you tell me what he needs an excuse for?" Jason asked, Tim's phone gripped tightly in one hand as the other curled into a fist. "God damnit, why the hell is he- why the hell are you two keeping secrets?" he growled, running a hand through his monochrome hair. Tim stayed quiet as Jason ran a hand over his face, starting to pace again. 

The elder of the two glanced at Tim, eyes narrowing in thought before he looked at Tim's desk. "You need those files, right? Need them in the order you got them in?" he asked, raising a brow and glanced at the younger raven. Tim narrowed his own eyes at Jason, lip curling up in a silent snarl.

Jason grinned, tossing the phone onto the desk and picking up the stack of manilla folders Tim had already spent way too much time organizing. Gotham PD _really_ needed to go digital. The taller of the two held them out and away from his body, ready to be dropped onto the floor. Tim sighed, shoulders slumping as he looked Jason in the eyes. "Why does it matter to you, anyway?"

"Because Billy's just a kid. He doesn't need to be running around Gotham at night, regardless of if he can do magic or whatever!" Jason snapped, eyes narrowed at Tim. The younger of the two could see the concern in there, and let out a short breath.

"He can handle himself, _trust me._"

You don't know that," Jason growled.

"Yes, _I do_. I know him better than you think I do. Better than you do, probably."

That looked like it ignited a fire in the elder's eyes, and he slammed the folders onto the ground, scattering papers everywhere. Tim groaned, tossing his head back in defeat- that was going to take forever to organize again. Jason was still glaring at him, visibly holding back a mixture of rage and tears. Tim paused- wait, was this really affecting him like this?

The younger Wayne sighed, glancing towards his discarded phone before meeting Jason's troubled eyes. "Look, it's not my place to say. If you want to know what's going on with Billy, ask him yourself. I can't-" he sighed again. "I _won't_ betray his trust, Jason. Surely you can understand that."

Jason ran a pass of his thumb against his nose, sniffling once and rubbing at his eye. "Yeah. I understand..." he muttered angrily. Jason turned on his heel and left the bedroom, leaving Tim alone, still tied to his desk chair.

"You have _got_ to go digital Gordan, seriously. It's the 21st century, man..." he muttered to himself.

\- - -

Captain Marvel paced back and forth, hand to his chin in thought. "Gotham doesn't make any sense," he muttered to himself, golden boots tracing a path back and forth across the length of the large chamber. John watched him from a top a boulder, head pillowed on his hand as the demigod kept walking.

"Magic doesn't _have_ to make sense," he said with a shake of his head, only causing the Captain to pause and glance at him.

"Okay, well, is there anything else you got from that spell? Like, a specific location in Gotham, or, or, an accomplice, or something?"

John thought for a moment, scratching absently at his neck with one hand as he fished around in his trenchcoat pocket with the other. "There was another magical signature tied to the whoever broke Morgaine out, but I got no idea whose it is."

Cap sighed, looking to Solomon for some kind of input.

"Your League buddies might, though."

The taller man paused, glancing at John with a tense frame.

John gave him an unimpressed look before rolling his eyes. "Lemme guess- you can't go up to your clubhouse cause you've been shirkin' responsibilities or somethin'," he said, lighting a cigarette and putting it to his mouth. "Kid, this is bigger than whatever relationship you got with your precious League right now," he said, gesturing towards Cap with his cigarette.

"The info they may have takes priority over-"

John was cut off by the shrill ring of the Captain's communicator. He could have sworn he'd put it on silent... Cap plucked it off his belt and glanced down at the name- Batman.

"It's my dad."

"Well, are you gonna answer it or stand there like a knobhead? I'll shut up," Jonh said, bringing his cigarette back up to his mouth and looking around the vast cavern. Marvel let out a sigh and answered the call, swallowing thickly.

"Batman- s-sir?"

There was a pregnant pause of silence before his father spoke. "Surprised you picked up." That iconic gruff voice, the one that sounded so unlike the warm billionaire Billy knew he was, sent shivers down his spine. He shook the feeling from his head and rubbed the back of his neck instinctually.

"Right- uh, sorry I've been AWOL lately, there's been a lot of-"

"We have work to do, Captain. I didn't call to catch up."

The raven tried to pretend that didn't sting. "R-right." He hadn't realized it would be so hard to separate the man from the superhero, and yet here he was, anxiety crawling up his spine at the sound of annoyance and exhaustion on Batman's voice. "Uhm- so why did you call?"

"We have a lead on Morgaine."

Cap blinked- wait, was he not going to bring up the-

"Frankly, I don't care that you ran from Zatanna at this point, Captain," the Dark Knight said, somehow reading his mind, and Cap could almost see the man leaning back in his chair in the Batcave, one hand rubbing circles in his temple as the other held his comm. "As I said, we have _work_ to do. There are more pressing matters than whatever is going on in our personal lives."

The demigod cleared his throat. "Right, well um-" he glanced at John, who simply raised a brow at him. The demigod switched the sound to speaker mode and held it out between them. "What's the lead?" he asked slowly, meeting the blonde magician's eyes again.

"She's apparently in league with another sorcerer," Batman said, to which John rolled his eyes and took another drag. "Felix Faust of all people."

John suddenly choked, sending himself into a sputtering, hacking fit as Cap switched the device back to normal mode and put it to his ear.

"What the hell was that, Captain?" Batman asked. The raven couldn't help the cursory glance around the Rock of Eternity- he could feel the suspicion and anger radiating off the man through the phone; it felt like he could jump out of anywhere at any moment. 

"It's- it's John Constantine. He stubbed his toe with a cigarette in his mouth," the raven replied, taking a few steps away from the still coughing man as he gripped boulder and doubled over. There was a sigh from the other side of the line, making the demigod chew on his lower lip anxiously.

"Right," Batman said, though it was obvious he wasn't convinced. Billy didn't really blame him- he was a terrible liar, even as Cap. It was a miracle he'd even made it this far in his career. "We don't know where he is, but Zatanna was able to reach out and got information that Faust has been acting off and bragging about some higher power. We can only assume this higher power is Morgaine."

Cap furrowed his brow- that didn't make any sense, Morgaine wasn't _that_ powerful of a sorcerer. Sure, he was strong, she was a magician of legend after all, but she paled in comparison to someone with divine magic. Though, to someone like Felix Faust, there were a lot of people that would be considered a 'higher power'.

"You're being uncharacteristically quiet, Captain. Do you have any information you'd like to share?" Batman asked. The demigod swallowed thickly, glancing at John, who was still coughing in the background. "Or are you still trying to hide things from us?"

Ouch. Yeah, if there was one thing Bats knew how to do, it was guilt trip.

"I uh- I was just thinking. Morgaine Le Fey isn't a higher power. I mean, Felix Faust isn't that strong of a sorcerer, so he _could_ think she is, but my gut tells me that isn't the case." Cap said, brow still furrowed. Not to mention John's theory about divine magic and the...gods...

His eyes widened. "That's it!" he said, smacking his hands against his head in realization and subsequently hanging up on Batman. "Oops..." he said, glancing down at the now dark communicator. 

"What is it?" John asked, sniffing once and leaning against a boulder. "Sounds like you had an epiphany."

"I- I did, but I should call Batman back and tell him what's going on." 

"Should you though?"

"What? John, you were the one who said the League might be able to help."

"I said they might have the information that we need. Never said they should get involved."

John took a long drag from his cigarette before losing it to the ground, where it subsequently vanished before he could stomp on it. He rolled his eyes before looking back at the Captain. "This is magic, kid. It's better left to the professionals. Zatanna might be able to help us out with this, but there's no doubt she'd bring the rest of that damn club along."

"But John, they're my team."

"You've been avoidin' them anyways, what's with the sudden change of heart?" John asked, raising a brow as he shoved his hands into his coat pockets.

"I just..." Cap trailed off, chewing on his bottom lip.

"Tell me what that aha moment was. I'll gage what we should do from that," John said as Captain Marvel's communicator lit up again. He glanced down at the device, rolling his eyes at the sight of Batman on the screen. "He's not gonna understand."

Bily swallowed thickly.

"'Sides, you really wan' your dad gettin' into some kind of trouble with this? What if he gets hurt? I'm sure he'll drag your brothers into this too, what about them? You wan' them hurt?" John asked, eyes narrowed as he stared at the demigod. 

"I- I don't know... they- they can handle themselves."

"Yeah, against killer clowns and rich penguin bastards, sure. But this is bigger than them." John's eyes narrowed further. "This is _dangerous_ magic. It's not the place for _regular_ folk."

Cap glanced back down at the communicator, before letting out a sigh and clipping the device to his belt. It continued to buzz against his side, and he attempted to ignore it. John smirked at him, which confused him a little bit, but he tried to ignore the feeling.

"Atta boy- leave this to the magic folk. Now, what do you got?" John asked, tilting his head slightly and raising a brow.

Cap rubbed the back of his neck, letting the other rest on his hip- fingers grazing over the communicator to try and answer the call. "I uh- well, it's more of a theory, than anything," he said, finally sliding the trigger over and allowing the Dark Knight to hear him speak.

"I think that Felix and Morgaine are...well, I think they're trying to summon some kind of deity. I remember you said something about my pantheon, and that checks out if divine magic really is involved, but Morgaine doesn't draw power from the Greek Gods. She's an arcane user, she draws from nature and eldrich spirits."

"Yeah, I know. This is redundant information, kid. You and I both know she's an arcane user," John said with a roll of his eyes.

Cap sighed and continued. 

"If Felix Faust really is connected, that could be the 'higher power' he's referring to. An _actual_ higher power. One of the Gods."

"And?"

"I think that magic that I couldn't figure out in the cell is that God's. I think that, somehow, one of the Gods is channeling their magic through Felix or Morgaine or something, in order to give them the power to summon them to Earth."

"Looks like we're going to Gotham then."

"Yeah...looks like it," Cap muttered, switching the call off and hoping that his dad got all that. 

Despite what Constantine might think, he knew Batman could handle himself- they all could.

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *dangles Bily off a cliff* Yeah, so....comment....or I'll drop him into this pit of tigers.


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hmm... things are...starting to get more complicated...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a short one, sorry about that, but that's where dramatic flow demanded I end. :3

\- - -

**Despite what Constantine might think, he knew Batman could handle himself- they all could.**

\- - -

Batman furrowed his brow when the Captain suddenly hung up on him- considering the man's voice cut out halfway through his sentence, he was sure it hadn't been on purpose. The Dark Knight simply called him again, though the communicator rang for a considerably longer time than before. When the demigod did finally pick up, the first thing Batman heard was shuffling, like the device wasn't being held next to a face.

**"I think... Felix and Morgaine are...well, I think they're trying to summon some kind of deity. I remember you said something about my pantheon, and that checks out if divine magic really is involved, but Morgaine doesn't draw power from the Greek Gods. She's an arcane user, she draws from nature and eldrich spirits."**

Captain Marvel sounded unsure of himself. Bruce wasn't sure if he'd meant to answer the call, so he stayed quiet.

There was more shuffling, and Bruce could hear Constantine talking to Marvel. **"Yeah, I know. This is redundant inform...and I both know she's an arcane user,"** he said, some of his words being drowned out by the Captain's shuffling.

So he _had_ meant to answer; the demigod was simply keeping that fact from John. Bruce couldn't help the small smirk that appeared in the corner of his mouth- sure, he may be annoyed and frustrated with the man for his late absence, but at least he was clear where his loyalties lied.

The Dark Knight heard Captain Marvel sigh before continuing.

**"If Felix Faust really is connected, that could be the 'higher power' he's referring to. An actual higher power. One of the Gods."**

**"And?"**

**"I think that magic that I couldn't figure out in the cell is that God's. I think that, somehow, one of the Gods is channeling their magic through Felix or Morgaine or something, in order to give them the power to summon them to Earth."**

Bruce furrowed his brow at the info- sure, he wasn't one to immediately believe in magic if that was the first option, but Captain Marvel wasn't usually one to suggest something as fact unless he was at least 95% sure it was true. It was something Bruce had noticed a long time ago- the man would hardly ever speak up in a huddle, only supplying information that _always_ turned out to be true. 

It was part of the reason the Captain was his first choice when it came to magical problems; for as magical a deity he may be, he was much more grounded in reality than someone like Dr. Fate or Zatanna, who relied solely upon magic for problem-solving.

**"Looks like we're headin' to Gotham then,"** he heard John say, causing him to tense up. Metas in his city were one thing- sorcerers were another.

**"Yeah..."** Cap replied, and Bruce could almost feel the tension in his voice. He had to know Batman heard that. **"...looks like it,"** he said before the call very deliberately ended.

Bruce sighed, bringing a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. So the Captain and John were coming to Gotham to take on even more sorcerers hiding out in his city, and the Captian was giving him a heads up. _Peachy_. He stood up, glancing up at the large monitor before heading for the elevator. 

He was going to need backup.

\- - -

Jason had spent the past twenty minutes pacing in his room, seething to himself as his boots thudded against the carpet. How could Tim keep secrets about Billy from him? If it was anything else, Jason would understand, Hell, if it was anything else, Jason wouldn't even _care_! But this- this was _Billy_.

Billy, a sweet, considerate kid with a good head on his shoulders and a light that burned bright enough to melt any icy stare. The kid had a brightness to him that Jason was scared- no, he was _terrified_ that Gotham would smother under its darkness.

He couldn't let his little brother get hurt, not when he could protect him. Jason may not have had anyone looking out for him before Bruce, but he'd be damned if he didn't look out for Billy.

But _Tim_ wasn't making things any easier by keeping secrets from him!

The second-eldest Wayne would be lying to himself if he didn't say that it kind of hurt that Billy was close enough to Tim to tell him something that. he obviously didn't want him to know. He'd thought him and the kid were getting along fine- he'd spent barely _any_ time around Tim, how'd he-

"You're going to walk a rut into that carpet."

Jason clenched his jaw at the sound of a pompous, overly confident voice coming from his doorway. He rolled his eyes and. looked at the 11-year-old standing there, leaning against his doorframe smugly. The kid had only said 9 words and Jason already wanted to slam his head into the wall.

Damien kept a straight face, simply raising an eyebrow at Jason's expression. "Heard you tied Tim up cause he wouldn't tell you Billy's secrets."

Great, now he was here to mock him.

"Listen here, you little shit. I don't have time for-"

"I think I'm close to finding out whatever it is that Billy's hiding."

Jason glanced back at the kid, who was, by this point, staring at him with a smug face. What was that supposed to mean? Jason narrowed his eyes at the little demon before crossing his arms over his chest. "Sure you are."

"I am- though whether you choose to believe me or not doesn't matter to me."

"Then why are you-"

"I want the satisfaction of someone else knowing I was right when everything goes south for Billy," Damien said with a raised eyebrow.

"Goes south...what are you even talking about?" Jason asked, hand curling into a fist again. How Billy could put up with this kid was beyond him- he was obnoxious, and rude, and- leaving- Jason rolled his eyes and followed the brat down the hall towards Damien's bedroom. 

The 12-year-old smirked back at him, causing the elder raven to roll his eyes even harder. Smug little-

"You remember that League communicator that went off after mine and Billy's argument...?" he asked slowly, gesturing for Jason to come in before closing the door behind him.

\- - -

Bruce leaned against the edge of the dining room table, hand to his chin in thought. It was obvious that Marvel wanted him to know that he'd be coming to Gotham, and he was fairly certain he was telling him he'd like him to step in, though why he was so secretive about it made no sense- not to mention why he'd only alerted Bruce and not the entire League. Maybe it was because Gotham was his domain?

It just didn't make any sense.

"Well, that's a hard brood if I've ever seen one, B," Dick said, coming into the room with a thermos in hand and a towel around the back of his neck. "Whatcha thinkin' about?" his eldest asked, getting a shake of the head in response. 

"I'll explain when everyone's here."

"Family meeting? What for?" Tim asked, trailing in from the doorway Dick had come from. The tallest of the trio glanced at him with a smirk before looking back at Bruce.

"No clue- mister dark and cynical over here won't say 'til we're all together."

Damien and Jason came trailing in down the stairs a few moments later, the later with a conflicted look on his face. Damien leaned against the railing, raising a brow at the others. Jason stayed quiet, scratching at his chin in thought.

"Right- now that we're all together, we have a problem."

"Wait whoa, what about Billy, B?" Dick asked, glancing towards the staircase that led to the bedrooms.

"He obviously means this is a _family_ problem, Grayson," Damien said with a scoff.

"Billy _is_ family, you little termite," Tim said with narrowed eyes.

Damien simply rolled his own- Jason stayed quiet.

"Boys," Bruce said, silencing the kids before they could start a fight. "This is a matter for those of us with a uniform," he said, glancing around the group. "We have a situation in Gotham."

"It seems that there's some shady magic going on. Captain Marvel and John Constantine are on their way to check things out, but we should be on guard to assist," he said, looking around at his sons. "Expect to roll out within the next 20 minutes. I'm going to try to track any energy surges through the bat computer, you guys suit up and-" he paused, glancing down at his communicator currently buzzing.

The kids glanced at him and he answered the call, a single finger to his mouth to tell them to be silent.

**"What makes Morgaine think this old warehouse would be a good place for a summoning?"** Captain Marvel's voice came through the comm amongst the sound of rushing wind and rustling fabric.

Another voice, one the members of the household had become familiar with, answered the demigod. **"Full of questions tonight, aren't you? It's next to the water, and not to mention _abandoned_. You and I both know that Morgaine's an arcane user- she can use that water to her advantage if she needs to."**

**"Right... what is this place? A- a cannery or something?"**

**"A docking station, if I had to wager. Hasn't been used in years, though, by the looks of it."**

**"Right..."** Cap muttered before the comm turned off.

"Did he mean to do that...?" Dick asked slowly, meeting Bruce's eyes.

The elder of the two nodded. "Yeah. Not sure what's going on exactly, but he doesn't want Constantine to know that I know what they're doing," he said, pocketing the device. "But I know he wouldn't contact me just to let me know he's in the city. It's likely he wants back up on this."

"Should we call the League?" Dick asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I don't think we have the time," Bruce said, eyebrows knit together slightly.

"There's an old docking station on the upper westside of Gotham. Abandoned, by the looks of it. Getting some weird readings from it," Tim said, staring down at his phone before looking at Bruce. "That's probably our place."

"Alright- then let's move out."

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No more threats, time to beg.
> 
> Please comment and tell me what you thought... 🥺


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We've spent all this time tying things together and assembling loose strands-- it's time to unravel the knot, guys.
> 
> Here we go.

\- - -

**"Alright- then let's move out."**

\- - -

Captain marvel touched down outside the warehouse, setting John, who he'd been carrying by the collar of his trenchcoat, down beside him. The man grumbled to himself and straighten out his tan coat before the pair ducked down behind some large metal shipping containers.

"Right then- judgin' by how quiet it is, I'm guessin' they haven't started yet," John said, peering around the corner of the container. "I got a plan."

"Wait, really?" Cap asked, tilting his head slightly. Why hadn't he brought this up before?

"Yeah- you power down and wander in there to distract them. Meanwhile, I'll shut down whatever it is that they got goin' on," he said with a smirk, getting a confused look from the demigod.

"W-wait, what? That can't possibly be your plan," Cap said, furrowing his brow. Sure, John wasn't really known for his thought-out plans, he was more of a move by the seat of your pants kind of guy, but still this- this was just _off_. "John, this is bigger than some artifact heist or something. We gotta think this through. Morgaine isn't a joke."

John raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "You don' trust me now?"

"What? No, John, of course, I trust you. I just- I don't think this is a good idea."

"I know what I'm doin' kid."

Captain Marvel sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. He still wasn't sure if Batman would even show up, if he showed up there as Billy and Cap was nowhere to be found, what would he think? Not to mention he _really_ didn't like the thought of being at the mercy of someone like Morgaine.

"John, are you _sure_ this is the best plan of action?" he asked, looking towards his mentor. The man's collar had been popped, confusing him slightly. Was he doing that to blend in or something? There was nobody else here. He shook the thoughts from his head as John actually glared at him.

"_Yes_. For _once_, will you just listen to me and do as I say?" he growled, obviously annoyed. Cap rubbed the back of his head- he must have really got on the magician's nerves.

"Okay. Okay, we'll- we'll go with your plan."

John's expression shifted- he smirked. "Good. Now go," he said before snaking around the other corner of the shipping container.

Cap sighed, glancing up at the overcast sky. The sun set on the horizon to his right, not that you could see it through the clouds that clogged the air. The smell of ozone permeated around him, and he too a breath before shutting his eyes tightly.

He wasn't sure about this, but he trusted John. He'd cover for him. John wouldn't let something bad happen...

...right?

_"Shazam." _

Lightning came crashing down, slamming into him and stripping him of his godly form. Billy stammered slightly, shaking off the dust and slight dizziness that came with every transformation. Smoke clung to his shoulders, but he ignoring the curling gray trails in favor of setting to work.

It was just his luck that his magical bolt was the hairpin to pull the rain from the sky loose. His hair was stuck to his head in seconds as fat raindrops fell from the sky.

He flipped up his dark red hood- it smelled like Jason...probably cause he'd left it in Jason's room for nearly a week and the elder raven had slept on top of it just to spite him...he shook the thoughts from his head.

Brothers later, Gods trying to come to Earth, now.

He caught light sparking inside the warehouse, eyes widening at the sight. He took off in a sprint towards the building, sneakers slamming against the wet ground and splashing in puddles. At least the rain provided some kind of cover, he thought, pressing his back up against the warehouse wall and inching around the corner. 

He hadn't seen where Jonh had gone, but he assumed he had some kind of plan, even if he hadn't felt the need to explain what that was to him. Be a distraction- he- he could do that. He was 10-years-old, no better distraction on the planet.

Lightning crackled in the sky, causing the boy to glance up towards it. A sliver of movement against the bright sky made him tense- Batman must have been there already. He needed to work fast.

He slipped around to the entrance, heaving the large rusted door open and peering inside. The place was dark, save for the low light streaming in through the windows near the roof. Chains and hooks hung from the ceiling, clinking together gently in the wind. It was too quiet for his liking- it put him on edge.

Billy curled his hands into fists, setting his jaw so it wouldn't chatter.

He tried to not let his fear get the better of him.

"Brought him to you, just like you asked." a voice echoed through the darkness, one that Billy immediately recognized. 

"...John?" he asked softly, eyes wide as he looked around the darkness.

Harsh green light suddenly flared around him, making the boy squint and stumble backward. He bumped into something solid behind him, glancing back to find dark purple and gold robes at his back. He yelped and fell forward onto his stomach, wincing in pain when he landed on his wrist wrong. 

He tried to ignore the pain and look up at who was _in_ the robe, holding his hand close to his chest and staring up at a man with thick black hair and bags under his glowing green eyes. He stared down at Billy uninterested, raising a brow at him when Billy swallowed thickly.

"You brought us a _child_," the man, who he now recognized was Felix Faust, said, looking towards the end of the pathway of light. Billy followed his gaze to see Constantine standing at the end of the path, hands in his trenchcoat pockets.

"Yeah mate, that's what I did. Brought you a _random_ child," John snarked, lip curled up in annoyance.

His eyes widened- no, this- this had to be some kind of sick joke, right? Maybe- maybe this was part of his plan? Billy felt tears prick in the corners of his eyes. John would never betray him... would he? He felt himself suddenly being heaved into the air by a thick green aura, locking his body in place and keeping him from moving.

"W-what-" he stammered, his voice quivering as Felix brought him closer to John. He was brought to a screeching halt, flinging his hair into his face. John tilted his head slightly, gently moving the loose strands from Billy's eyes with a smirk.

There was something about his eyes- they were dull. Their normal blueish-green were almost gray... the light was gone, replaced with a hollow, empty husk that was once his mentor.

He was being _controlled_.

Billy felt tears slide silently down his cheeks, face crumpling in fear and desperation, causing the sorcerer to pause and raise a brow at the boy. "That's pathetic," he muttered, turning his attention towards Felix Faust when he started to rant. "Before you get any further into whatever you're complainin' about, you might wanna gag the tot."

Felix furrowed his brow as Billy's eyes widened. He opened his mouth to shout, only to feel a harsh warmth pressing against the back of his throat, snuffing out his voice like a candle. He noticed a dark purple aura glowing at his mouth and glanced at John, whos simply rolled his eyes and glanced behind him.

"At least _someone_ here has a brain," he commented, digging in his pocket and fishing out a cigarette as Morgaine Le Fay came into the low light.

The woman narrowed her dark eyes at Billy, and he couldn't help the instinct to shy away from her golden-masked face. She then glanced at John, who was currently lighting his cigarette calmly. "You're _sure_ this is the Champion?" she asked, holding out a hand towards Billy and taking over Felix's spell; she straightened Billy out so that his arms were trapped at his sides. "For as idiotic as he may be, Faust has a point. He's just a boy."

John took a drag from his cigarette and blew out a trail of smoke. "Oh, that's him alright, bloody brilliant that damn wizard was, makin' some _brat_ the Champion of Magic. No one'd ever suspect it." 

Morgaine turned her cold eyes on him again, motioning with her finger in order to bring the boy closer to her face. Billy tried to shy away from her, the glinting golden metal only showing her dark eyes, giving away no expression. He knew how dangerous she was, how ruthless she could be. She was a magician of legend, nothing to spit at.

"Well, if it doesn't work, we'll know by his charred little body," she said after a pregnant pause, glancing towards John before bringing billy with her. Felix and John trailed behind her, the former glaring at John while he looked dully ahead.

Morgaine brought him to what looked like an altar of some kind; a large stone with intricate carvings scratched into the surface. It looked big enough to hold Cap- more than big enough to hold him. Billy swallowed thickly, his breathing shaky and scared as the woman strapped him to the rock's surface with a flick of her wrist.

He felt his head slam against the hard stone, wincing in pain. A small cry came from his mouth, followed by a slight gag; sounds that made Constantine pause.

"Go be a lookout or something. Things are bound to get loud, Hellblazer, I'm sure the Bat will show up soon enough," Felix said dismissively and a visible jolt ran through John before he turned on his heel.

"Got it," he muttered, walking towards the rusting entrance.

"Jh-" Billy tried to speak, tried to reach out to John, but the woman's magic pressed against his throat, causing only a choked gasp to come out instead. 

How had he not seen this coming? He knew something felt off with john, he'd been acting strange ever since-

_Belle Reve._

The spell. It- It must have done something to give them control of him. Billy clenched his fists tightly- he hated them for this. Not for kidnapping him, not for muting him, not for whatever evil things they were about to do to him- he hated them for what they did to John. They'd brought Constantine's worst nightmare to life, and for that, he'd _never_ forgive them.

Felix walked around the circular stone, staring at the boy with slight interest before glancing at Morgaine. "Are we sure this kid is... the Champion?"

"If it isn't we'll know. Then we'll have Constantine go fetch us another one, and another one, and _another one_ until he gets it _right," _Morgaine snapped, glaring at the man through her mask. "I can sense faint magic on the child, so even if he _isn't_ the Champion of Shazam, he will be a stepping stone to get Her one step closer to Earth," she said, turning back towards the pair with a spellbook in hand.

Billy couldn't make out what the writing on the worn leather cover said, but he was _sure_ it was ancient Greek. His gaze flicked between the two fearfully.

"It says the magic needs a medium- boy, check, as well as the proper runes. Do you have the sheep blood...?" she said, raising her gaze from the book to look at Felix. The man's eyes widened, patting down the sides of his robe before coming to some kind of realization and snapping, causing a metal bucket to fall out of the air and into his grasp.

"Imbecile..." she muttered, rolling her eyes. 

Morgaine forced Billy to sit up, making his hoodie unravel with a snap before doing the same with his shirt. Thin, lightly scarred chest laid bare, she forced the boy to lay back down against the cold stone. He ached to shy away from the touch, but her magic was firm, and keep him there, despite his shivering.

Felix dipped his fingers into the bucket and began to paint runes on his chest, and Billy couldn't help the dread beginning to overtake him. Where was Batman, where was Robin- Where were his family!? He felt tears prick in the corners of his eyes again, only to be softly hushed by Morgaine.

"Oh dear, sh sh sh, no need to cry..." she cooed, her voice sickeningly sweet as she lifted a finger to wipe a tear from his eye. "If you're not the Champion, this'll be _painless_," she said, standing back up.

"...and if he is?" Felix asked from his hunched position, still painting runes on the boy's skin.

Morgaine's demeanor shifted. "Then it'll be more painful than _anything_ you've ever experienced..." she bit out, eyes practically glowing through her mask as she glared down at Billy.

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm kinda surprised no one brought up the fact that John was actin' strange in the past couple chapters... I thought for sure i'd put enough weird ticks in there for SOMEONE to notice the change.
> 
> OH WELL!
> 
> What did you guys think?


	34. Chapter 34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW for this one: Graphic Depictions of Violence.
> 
> Heh...yeah... pls don't hurt me. 🥺

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have literally come so close so many times to doing an accidental face reveal on my insta thinking it was my art account...smh
> 
> (( yall can go follow that by the way if you wanna see Lil snippets of stories too short for Ao3 or updates or sneak peeks and stuff. It's @Starkvenger.Ao3 ))
> 
> Also, sorry in advance, I'm using Google translate for any and all Greek spoken here. Very sorry.

\- - -

**Morgaine's demeanor shifted. "Then it'll be more _painful_ than anything you've _ever_ experienced..." she bit out, eyes practically glowing through her mask as she glared down at Billy.**

\- - -

Dick landed silently beside his father, boots gripping the gravel on the roof as Bruce's cape flared out in the shadows. The sky had been overcast when they landed, only to start pouring suddenly with a large bolt of lightning flared in the sky. 

The eldest Wayne groaned and rolled his eyes as rain started to pelt his suit, putting a hand to his ear at the sound of an argument starting up.

"Red Robin, Robin, I swear, if you two don't be quiet-" he was cut off by a hand from Bruce. A motion with his head got him to look at the warehouse- which suddenly lit up with green light.

"I'm on it," Jason said through the comm, bounding from shipping container to shipping container, shooting a grapple towards the roof and heaving himself up top. He crouched down, his movements slow and deliberate as he crawled across the rooftop.

Robin leaped up onto a shipping container, eyes trained on Jason as the elder raven paused to stare down through a hole in the roof.

The man's entire fame froze, eyes widening and muscles locking in place at the sight of Morgaine Le Fey and Felix Faust standing around a circular stone platform with a _child_ between them. "We got a problem," Tim said through the comms, his voice followed by sounds of conflict. 

The flare of fire drew everyone's attention towards a clearing amongst the abandoned containers as Tim leaped out of the way of a blast from John Constantine. "Wait, is that-" Dick flipped off a container and out of the way of a spell aimed his way, using his sticks to keep his momentum going and land on top of another container. "I thought Constantine was on our side," He said into the comms.

"He is, usually," Bruce replied, landing in front of the man in a defensive position. "What's the meaning of this, Constantine?" he asked gruffly, ducking a wide kick and narrowly avoiding the glowing dagger in John's hand.

"Sorry Bats, nothin' personal," John said before taking another jab at the Dark Knight.

"John, you have to at least explain!"

"Can't do that, mate, can only do what they tell me," John said with a pointed look before digging in his inner coat pocket and muttering onto some metal marbles. "Jump!" he yelled before throwing the marbles at Batman. The Dark Knight obeyed, leaping into the air and narrowly escaping a glowing criss-cross of runes covering the ground. 

"So you're being controlled by Morgaine and Felix," Batman said, watching as another jolt suddenly ran through John. He clenched his eyes shut against it before shaking his head.

"What do you, think, mate?" he said before launching himself at Bruce with the knife.

Tim managed to block the attack with his bo staff, landing in front of Bruce and whipping his staff towards Constantine. "Go, find Marvel, and figure this out. Robin and I got John," he said, dodging a blast of fire from the Hellblazer.

Batman nodded once, looking towards Jason on the roof and Dick before launching his own grapple gun toward his second eldest.

"Let's go, Constantine, show me what you've been teachin' Billy," Tim said with a grin.

\- - -

Bruce glanced down through the broken skylight in the warehouse roof, eyes narrowing at the sight of Morgaine and Felix. Jason was still, his eyes locked on something else. Bruce followed his gaze, spotting a child strapped magically to a stone slab. The pair of sorcerers stood on each side of his child, Felix painting symbols onto his skin while Morgaine stared at a book in her arms.

"I- I must be losing it," Jason muttered, causing Dick and Bruce to glance at him. "That- that kid looks like Billy, but that- that- it's- that can't be him."

Burce looked back down at the scene, paying closer attention to the black-haired boy currently being held down by Morgaine. His eyes widened when he realized it was, in fact, Billy. "No..." he breathed, eyes wide behind the mask. 

"Oh my god... what- what the hell do they have him for?! We have to get down there and-" Dick went to move, only to be grabbed tightly by Jason.

"Don't you _dare_. You jump down there without any precaution and you might get him fucking killed," he growled, staring at his elder brother.

Bruce couldn't take his gaze off the boy- he was terrified, Bruce could tell from there, but there was something about the fear that said it was more than the fact that he was being held against his will there. He narrowed his eyes at his son, jaw tightening when he caught the boy flinch at Morgaine's brandishing of an ornate dagger.

Morgaine was talking to Billy, what she said for the most part, he wasn't sure, but he was sure of the last two things they said. 

"...and if he's not?" Felix asked, glancing up from his painting on Billy's light skin.

"Then it'll be more painful than anything you've _ever_ experienced..." Morgaine replied, staring down at the boy. 

He needed to get down there. 

_Now._

\- - -

Billy winced when Morgaine suddenly brought the dagger she'd been brandishing down to his chest, carving out a detailed and intricate rune in his skin, each twist and tilt of the knife making the boy's skin burn and sting.

He flinched at the cold blade's touch, but Morgaine ignored him, continuing to carve until she had a circle of ancient Greek letters and runes drawn in a spiral reaching out from his heart.

There had to be something he could do to stop this, right? He- he could fight whatever spell they were trying to perform...if he were Cap. He- He could try his own, wordless spell to try and counteract theirs, but he was sure he was nowhere near their level, plus his arms were stuck at his sides, he had _no_ mobility.

"It's time," Morgaine said when Felix stood, dropping the bucket of blood at his feet.

"Finally..." Felix muttered, only to get a glare from the woman.

Morgaine there out her hand towards Billy, looking down at her book before meeting his eyes. 

Her hand began to glow dark purple, the mystical aura surrounding her as she spoke. _**"O epilegménos protathlitís tou Olýmpou.**_**_.."_** her words echoed throughout the warehouse, metallic ring to her voice as her magic flare out towards Billy.

He felt her magic dig into his skin, worming its way through his muscles and blood, pain flaring in the runes she'd carve into his chest. He gasped, choking on air and struggling against her hold on him. He clenched his fists against the surge of heat Morgaine's magic brought, trying to fight the low buzz in his skull.

_**"****o Theós édose ti thnití fórma..." **_Billy's breathing grew short and rapid, his lungs unable to get enough air as he choked. He tried to connect with his own magic, with that part of him that was intrinsically tied to the Rock of Eternity but found himself chained, silent to his own power. He cried out when heat flared in his chest, the bloody runes beginning to glow from within.

It felt like a fire had been lit in his core, and it was burning him inside out. The runes Felix had painted crackled like a fire across his skin, curves wrapping around his wrists and ankles eating away at his flesh as more of Morgaine's magic ate through him.

The 10-year old cried out in pain, his voice finally breaking through in a hoarse, choppy scream that echoed off the warehouse's metal walls and bounced back to ring in his ears. Magic overwhelmed his vision, blinding him to his surroundings. His eyes began to glow a hot white, swallowing his irises as he thrashed against the invading power in his mind.

Morgaine's eyes flared with light, her hold on Billy tightening as he was suddenly lifted into the air.

**_"Afíste ti dýnami tis Circe na perásei mésa sas..." _**Light poured from his mouth, though he was blind to it, his lungs tight and aching from screaming. He couldn't breathe, couldn't see, it felt like he was being unmade at his very core, torn apart by a magic that was foreign and stitched back together in a form that felt so _wrong_. 

He could feel his magic trying to fight back, like a caged animal, striking out against the invader, but like a cat with no claws, it didn't stand a chance. Lightning flared in the sky as Billy screamed, a thunderous roar tearing through his throat and making his voice reverberate through the clouds. 

"He... he really is the Champion..." Felix took a fearful step back, eyes wide as he stared at the child. Billy felt his chest snap forward, his back arching in the air as something, _someone_ tried to get in.

_ **"kai afíste ton theó na perpatísei metaxý tou anthrópou gia álli mia forá!"** _

Light overtook the runes covering his body, shining through his skin like a patchwork of stars across his flesh. His cries had gone silent, a ring of light echoing his form before lightning flared in the sky once more. A sudden wind picked up around Billy, whipping his hair violently and forcing the magicians to put up their arms to block it.

"What- what's happening?" Felix asked, glancing at the masked sorceress.

"His body can't handle her power- he's _mortal_, he can't withstand the powers of a _God_." Morgaine bit out, blood trailing down her fingertips and dripping onto the floor.

"What does that mean?!" Faust yelled against the wind, looking back towards the boy.

"She's going to-" 

_ **"SHAZAM!"** _

Light burst outward from the boy, crashing into anyone in the vicinity like a tidal wave. Felix and Morgaine were blown backward, the former slamming into a wall while the latter barely stayed standing.

Every window in the warehouse shattered in an instant as heavens met Earth through him., lightning tearing through the roof of the warehouse, peeling back the metal with ease and enveloping the 10-year-old. Billy heard a distant, echoing cackle before any energy he may have had left was sapped from his body, leaving his muscles weak and his head spinning.

The light vanished, leaving the godly form of the Champion to fall out of the air and slam into the stone slab, cracking its surface. Billy couldn't move his body, couldn't see straight- everything was a tangle of colors and shapes, his head swimming with pain and confusion. His breathing was hoarse, but he could feel Morgaine's magic slowly leaving him, his own forcing her back and out of his system.

Captain Marvel glanced at the figure that had appeared in his place in the air, a glowing visage slowly descending to touch the cold concrete below. Something felt familiar about her, he wasn't sure what it was, he was sure he'd never met... whoever this figure was, before. The demigod wheezed, gaining the figure's attention. A pale green, almost white dress fell around her pale legs, gold entrailing her hips and wrists and adorning her dark hair.

"Oh, I wish it didn't have to be you, Champion, but there's no one else with such a strong link between the Gods and mortals," her voice was elegant... a saccharine kind of sweet that made her words turn cold. She held an air of authority and power, and her words felt ethereal-- similar to the whispers in his mind when the Gods spoke to him.

"Y...you..." he struggled to speak, his voice coming out in a chopped, broken sound. He brought a hand to his throat, wheezing before looking up at her face. "You're...a God..." he breathed before his head fell limp onto the concrete. 

"I am... How _astute_ of you to notice..." her drawl was long and low, arrogance and annoyance lacing her words. "I would love to stay and pick that brain of yours, Champion, but I've spent enough time in the shadow of the Olympians," she bit out bitterly, her words were icy and sending chills down the demigod's spine. 

"Come, Morgaine."

Billy knew her. He was _sure_ that he knew her, even if he'd never met her, he was sure that a previous Champion _had_. She was too familiar, sticking out like a bright red mark amongst a sea of white paper. Something struck the back of his mind, spark making him shudder.

"Circe..." he breathed.

The woman turned, her cold, blood-colored eyes staring into his. She narrowed them at him before the corner of her mouth turned up. 

"Glad to know you know the name of the person who'll bring an end to everything you hold dear."

Captain Marvel tried to get up, he tried to force his body to move despite the pain as the goddess grinned and turned on her heel to leave, but he just couldn't. Nothing wanted to cooperate with him...everything felt vaguely numb. His head was still spinning, his core burned, and even though he could feel his magic again, even though he could sense the sliver of the Gods in the back of his mind, buzzing and as all-encompassing as ever...

He had never felt more alone.

He had to move. He had to _stop her_. If he didn't try, could he really call himself the Gods' Champion? Marvel's body burned, his breaths wheezing with every inhale. Felix Faust lay unconscious, slipped against the wall with rubble trapping him there. Glass was scattered across the floor, the wind was howling through the small openings in the metal walls, ozone was still fresh in the air. 

He used these things to attempt to ground himself, try and give himself something to hang onto. His vision swam, fading in and out of blurriness and making everything harder, but he still tried. He struggled to lift his upper body up off the ground, holding himself up by his forearms and sweating bullets because of it. He needed rest, he knew this, it was the only way to regain the magic he'd lost, but he didn't have the time, _Earth_ didn't have the time.

Marvel suddenly felt something firm press against his shoulder, helping him to flip over. He leaned into the warm and solid touch ever so slightly, his head falling to the side slightly as a trio of figures moved about in his blurred gaze.

He glanced at his shoulder, finding a black armored hand there, securing him and making sure he wouldn't fall back onto the concrete. The demigod followed the arm the hand was attached to, a mixture of black and gray armor and fiber, connecting to a broad shoulder, and finally, to a half-concealed face. 2/3rds of the figure's skin was showing in the soft light, whatever mask it had been wearing torn and tattered. 

Marvel felt warmth bloom in his chest at the sight of the face. Even if he couldn't see it clearly, it was one he knew, one he trusted with his life a thousand times over; a face that, honestly, he more than happy to see right now.

"...dad...?" 

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you'll excuse me, I will now attempt to break into the Fortress of Solitude in order to hide from the hell storm to come.
> 
> Curious about the translation back to English for Morgaine's spell? Here's what she said!: 
> 
> "Olympus's chosen champion, God given mortal form, Let Circe's power move through you, and let god walk amongst man once more."


	35. Chapter 35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one's a long one! 
> 
> The Bat Boys bring Captain Marvel home, though he remains unconscious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so i'm only going with a rough estimate of what the DC canon has for Circe's backstory, and kinda making up one for myself for her. Okay? Okay. Cool.
> 
> Also, some of yall might have caught me simping over the Lego Shazam movie last night on insta, and uh, yeah, sorry you had to see that. I am just...very...starved for Captain Marvel/Shazam content and got very excited to see something official, nonetheless something that had HIM as the main character, had the Justice League in it, AND who's ENTIRE PLOT REVOLVED AROUND A FANFICTION TROPE (AKA Superheroes being turned into kids). 
> 
> But again, sorry you had to see that.
> 
> ...just expect something based off of it very soon.

\- - -

**"...dad...?" **

\- - -

Billy quickly lost consciousness after that, unable to keep up his eyes open with Bruce of all people there. He fell limp in the Dark Knight's arms, head lolling to the side as he blacked out.

Bruce let out a shaky breath, laying the demigod down on the concrete floor before pulling off his cowl and running a fist through his hair. He stood quickly, steely expression of calm fracturing as he turned away from Jason and Dick. His heart was pounding, blood was trickling down from a cut on his cheek, sweat bead on his brow. He clenched his jaw tightly, staring at a crack in the wall before curling his hand into a fist and suddenly slamming it full force into the concrete with a yell.

He was left breathing heavily, loose strands of hair falling into his face as pain bloomed in his hand. Bruce stared emptily at the spot he'd punched, the concrete as uniform as before, as if his punch did nothing to it. A painful reminder he was, at the end of the day, human.

His chest was in knots...he was vaguely aware that Billy had called him dad. It was the first time he'd referred to him like that, and it was just after he'd been used as a sacrifice. Just after he'd... revealed himself. There had been the smallest quirk of a smile on the demigod's face before he blacked out, one that told Bruce he trusted him.

He let out a shaky breath, straightening his back, and stiffening his posture. He had to pull himself together. Bruce turned to look at his boys; Dick as kneeling down beside the demigod, the man's head in his lap, and breathing shakily. Tears were beading in his eldest's eyes as he muttered something to himself... he stepped towards them, and heard him.

"Bluebird... you.. this isn't... Billy... you can't... blue.. bluebird..."

Bruce glanced at Jason, had his gaze locked on the Captain's face. There was no emotion written there, a blank state staring at an unconscious being, but his eyes were full of pain, full of fear. Jason suddenly turned away, fist clenched tightly around his helmet.

"We have to get him back to the Manor," Bruce said, glancing between the two before kneeling down to attempt to saddle some of the demigod's dead weight.

"Did you not see the same thing I did? Did you not hear-" Jason swallowed thickly, slicking a hand through his hair. "There's a goddess running loose in the streets of Gotham, and we have to catch her."

He knew what Jason was doing. He was trying to run, trying to put his focus on the case, on the mission at hand, so he didn't have to think about what had happened. Billy's screams still echoed in all their minds... not to mention... he glanced down at Marvel.

"And the one man that would know how to do that is-" 

'-is a kid, Bruce..." Dick said from the floor, glancing up from where he held Marvel's head. "He's _ten_..." his voice broke. 

Dick felt betrayed. He could see it in his eyes. Sadness, longing, fear, betrayal, anger, a cocktail of swirling emotions in Dick's head, all overshadowed by an all-encompassing sense of _guilt_. Bruce would be lying if he said a part of him felt betrayed as well. It was a small part, overshadowed by the fear and terror wracking his body over what they'd done to him, but it was still there.

He wasn't sure what to feel, wasn't sure if he could, his mind defaulting to _numb_ until things were stable again.

It's what he'd always done. When Dick would hurt himself when he was first starting out, when Damien got over-confident on the job, when Jason had...died. Every time, he'd put his own feelings aside in order to be the clear-headed leader that was needed.

He'd done so before, and he'd do so now.

"Jason, get the Batmobile. Dick, you and I are going to have to carry him to it," he said, glancing between his sons. Jason nodded once, taking a deep breath before running out of the building and towards where the vehicle had been left. 

"It's quiet outside, I assume Tim and Damien took care of Constantine," Bruce said as Jason retreated into the darkness. He put a finger to his ear, flicking on the comm, only to get a loud burst of reverb and static. He quickly shut it off and pocketed the device, gaze moving towards where Jason had gone.

He glanced towards Dick, who was busy wiping a palm over his face. He'd set Marvel against him and kept an arm around his back so he wouldn't fall backward. When his eldest met his gaze, he looked...broken.

"Bruce..." Dick said slowly, grip tightening slightly on the demigod before loosening. "I... I don't-" a hitched breath. "I don't understand..." he muttered. He was a mess, a confused mixture of anger, resentment and sadness, and he wanted to coddle the man in his lap just as much as he wanted to yell at him.

"Why would he keep this from us?"

\- - -

Alfred, despite how long he'd been at this, was a terrible worrier. Though he was unlikely to admit it to his boss and surrogate son, there wasn't a day that went by where Bruce donned the cowl and Alfred _didn't_ worry about him.

The man bringing home injured strays had simply become a part of the job; from the commissioner's daughter to a scrappy little boy that had tried to steal the batmobile's tires, Alfred had seen it all.

Or, at least, he thought he had.

When the Batmobile screeched to a halt into the Batcave, Alfred thought nothing of it; his employer had always had a flair for the dramatic, a trait that caused the vehicle's tires to be changed regularly. When he, along with Dick, clambered out of the vehicle in tattered uniforms with bloody scrapes and cuts, his instinctive concern flared, but again, this was something that was considered normal in the Wayne household.

What wasn't considered normal, however, was Bruce moving quickly to the back of the Batmobile and heaving an unconscious Captain Marvel up and onto his chest. Dick helped to support the man, taking half of his weight while Alfred immediately fetched a medical bed. Damien wandered quietly behind them, his expression dark and unreadable as he dragged an unconscious Felix Faust, tied up in multiple ropes, behind him. Bruce and his eldest lifted Marvel onto the bed, and he avoided looking towards them.

Jason's motorcycle came sliding into the cave a few moments later, Tim as his second. He turned off the bike and took of his helmet, throwing it to the side before running up to where Marvel had been laid. Something was going on here- something bigger than the Captain simply going down in a fight.

"Is someone going to explain what's happening?" Alfred asked as he began to set up an IV drip. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to get it into the man skin since he was apparently invulnerable to bullets, but it was better to be prepared. The boys stayed quiet, looking towards Bruce. Alfred sighed, grabbing Marvel's forearm.

The Waynes seemed to hold their breath as Alfred readied the needle before sliding it through the bright red uniform and into the man's vein. He supposed maybe the invulnerability didn't span to needles- or the man was in worse shape than he first thought.

Jason's hand clenched, the leather of his gloves squeaking. 

"That's _Billy_," he bit out. "Those damn magicians used him as a _fucking_ pawn," he growled, unable to keep back any more emotions. "I'll kill em."

Alfred paused, his eyebrows knitting together. He glanced down at the ebony-haired man on the cot, the broad shoulders, barrelled chest with a lightning bolt insignia emblazoned on it. The demigod's once stark white cape was tattered and singed, mirroring the state of his uniform, and multiple scrapes and bruises covered his still face.

It was strange, but he could almost see it. From what he'd been told about how the Captain acted from Bruce, how could he not? Alfred wasn't a man that needed proof. He believed what his family told him.

He let out a short breath.

"What happened?"

\- - -

When he opened his eyes, Billy found himself staring at nothing no light, no structures, no dull gray ceiling of the warehouse. He sat up with a wince, hand going his head as it swam. "What... what happened?" he muttered to himself, glancing around at his surroundings-- except there weren't any.

When he looked around, all he saw was black. A void that seemed to expand on forever. The 10-year-old tensed, hand moving from his head to rub at the back of his neck. What was this place? 

It was then that he noticed his shirt was till gone... and that the runes Felix had painted onto his skin were still there, though they weren't made of dry, cracking blood anymore. Tan runes spiraled his skin, thick bands wrapping around his wrists and becoming a sick echo of the Captain's golden braces. He stretched out his arms, finding ancient greek lettering winding up to his shoulders and curling around his sides.

His chest was no longer torn open by the spell Morgaine had carved into his chest, though her markings had become this dark color like the runes Felix had painted. They almost looked like the henna tattoos he'd seen people in his old apartment building putting on themselves, darkening the skin in patches, though a part of his mind whispered this was something much more sinister.

Billy brought himself to his knees and stood, his knees wobbling and head still spinning. "Hello?" he called out, his voice echoing back in his ears. There was a tingle in his spine, one that he was familiar with, that told him he wasn't alone. "Is- Is anyone there?" 

_"He's weak, you must let him rest."_

Billy turned, looking for the source of the echoing voice.

_"Nonsense. He needs our guidance now more than ever."_

The boy's hands tightened into fists, continuing to look for the, now, multiple voices. "Who are you?" he asked, swallowing thickly.

_"He's terrified, we have to do **something**." _

There was a burst of light, causing Billy to shut his eyes and bring an arm up to block him from it. When it faded, he blinked open his eyes, moving his forearm slowly to see a familiar mean standing before him.

"Shazam?" Billy asked, a small smile gracing his face at the sight of the long-dead wizard. The 10-year-old took off in a dead sprint toward him, nearly tackling the old man in an attempt to hug him. The raven's hands gripped his robes tightly, hugging his first mentor. "But you... you're dead..." he mumbled against the soft fabric, unable to stop the tears from beading in his eyes. The wizard had been the first man to make him feel like he was a part of something bigger since his parents died. 

As far as Billy was concerned, they were family. He loved the old man as such. 

Shazam chuckled, gently ruffling the boy's hair before pulling him away from his robe. "It's good to see you, Billy," he said warmly, kneeling down so he was at face-level with the child. "My how you've grown. A lot's changed in two years, hm?" he asked gently, cupping the boy's face with his palm.

Billy nodded, a wide smile on his face. "So much. I- I have so much to tell you. I'm a part of the Justice League now, and- and I managed to find a way to make Freddy's leg not hurt him so much, and, and then, that's not even mentioning the last few weeks. The Waynes, they're amazing, they-" he paused, everything suddenly rushing back to him.

Dread pooled in the pit of his stomach, making his core twist and ache. "Oh, Gods... the Waynes... Bruce... they..." he trailed off, looking up at the old man. "Where am I?" He glanced around at the void. "This- this isn't the underworld... I- I don't... am I dead?"

Shazam chuckled, shaking his head slowly. "Not dead, Billy. Simply unconscious. That witch drained more of your magic than your body could handle. You are intrinsically tied to the Rock of Eternity and thus may have an endless source of power, but even your Champion form has limits as to what it can withstand at once."

"O-okay. So... so I'm re-charging?" Billy asked, tilting his head slightly. "When will I wake up?"

"Soon, Billy. But I-" the was a rumble throughout the void. "_We_ wanted to take this moment to give you a bit of wisdom," Shazam said, standing up and gesturing with his staff. A scene appeared before them, one of a dark-haired woman in a pale green dress, adorned with gold. 

"Circe..." Billy breathed, wiping the wetness from his eyes and standing up fully. "What- what is this?"

"This is Circe, when she was young. She was born to the sun Titan Helios and a common nymph. A witch by nature, favored by Hecate," he said, the image shifting to Circe performing magic. "Circe was always a gifted magician; it's in her blood," Shazam explained, the image shifting to that of Circe sitting on a throne, a broad-shouldered man beside her.

"She became queen of a small kingdom, as the king saw her magic as something that could benefit him."

Suddenly, the image warped, and Circe was sitting on the throne, blood splattered on her face and dripping from her nails. The throne beside her was empty.

Billy tensed and the Wizard sighed. "When her subjects objected to her killing their king, she was exiled to a small island. She honed her magic there, aided by Hecate. Though, over time, Hecate's hatred of the Olympians grew to be Circe's hatred as well. It wasn't until now that she gained enough power for her magic to reach beyond the island..."

"And you, being a medium for the Gods, practically a living gateway between Olympus and Earth, was the easiest thing for her to use to leave her exile and walk among mortals once more," Shazam said, putting a hand on his shoulder as the twisted image of Circe faded. 

Billy chewed on the bottom of his lip in thought, eyebrows knit together before he met the Wizard's eyes with determination.

"How do I stop her?" he asked, hand clenched tightly at his sides. "She may be a goddess, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have a weakness," he continued, and Shazam grinned softly.

"Every day, you remind me that I made the right choice, Billy," he said, ruffling the boy's hair. "But you can't do this alone. Just as you would need help with a world-eating criminal, you will need help with a goddess gone rogue."

"The League?" he asked, confusion etched into his face as he looked up at the old man.

"Perhaps- but Circe is a being of magic, just as you are. You two are tied intrinsically, now more than ever. You are her medium, as long as you stand with magic running through your veins and her marks scorched into your skin, Circe will have access to the magic the Rock of Eternity holds."

"So I gotta get these marks off," Billy confirmed, glancing at the dark runes encircling his arms.

"How do I do that?"

"You are the Champion, not only of the Gods but of magic as well. You _have_ the power to remove them, Billy," The wizard sighed. "But that will only get you so far."

"Removing those marks will bring you to the brink of death. You _must_ have something tying to you the living realm to remain there. Magic can only take you so far... your soul, Billy, is what makes you strong. A pure one is hard to come by... and yours shines brighter than any I've ever seen." The wizard knelt down. "You must find a way to tie your soul to this world, or it will be torn apart."

"...no underworld...no..._nothing_." Billy echoed, eyes wide as his gaze dropped to his shoes.

"I have faith in you, Billy Batson. You're my chosen Champion for a reason."

Billy looked up to meet the elderly man's eyes, only to find him gone. He glanced around in confusion, before feeling a tugging at his core, tearing him from the dark void.

He woke up with a gasp, eyes snapping open, and air flooding his burning lungs.

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vic... pls... I'm begging u... I need to know what happened to Billy and Supes. 🥺🥺🥺
> 
> For those of you who AREN'T Vic....
> 
> Yo, that comment button looks p nice, right? You should totally press it and ya know, type some words. They don't even gotta make sense. (Though its better if they do.)


	36. Chapter 36

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cap finally wakes up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are actually in the last quarter of this monster, believe it or not! This thing has been... a journey to write. It is the biggest fic, biggest single plotline I've ever made, and though it isn't perfect, I'm proud of it. I'm glad you guys enjoy it as much as I do.
> 
> Also, I'm a teensy bit late cause I got distracted writing a different fic last night, but uh here we go!

\- - -

**He woke up with a gasp, eyes snapping open, and air flooding his burning lungs.**

\- - -

The first thing he saw when he woke up was a cavernous ceiling. The demigod gasped, sucking in air and staring at the stalactites covering the ceiling above him. "Wha...where... where am I?" he muttered to himself, wincing in pain when he attempted to move. "The Rock...?" he breathed, pushing past the pain flaring in every part of his body and the swimming of his head.

"Slow down there, Captain, take it slow," a familiar voice said as a warm hand was suddenly against the small of his back. The demigod let out a shaky breath, eyes screwed shut against the pain. The familiar hand helped him to sit up and lean against the wall, serving to stabilize the ebony-haired man somewhat. Captain Marvel opened his eyes again, surprised to find Alfred of all people standing in front of him.

"A-Alfred?" he winced, pain shooting through his abdomen. He grabbed it suddenly, gasping from the heat in his core. When he breathed out, a curling spiral of golden light came out. "Well that's working..." he muttered to himself before looking at the aging butler. "W-where..." he glanced around. While he may have been in a medical bed in a sectioned off room, hooked up to an IV no less, there was no denying that ceiling. 

"The... the Batcave?" he questioned softly as Alfred held a glass of water out for him. He glanced at it before meeting the man's eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by the butler.

"Your father, along with the others, are currently trying to track down Morgaine and Circe," he said, pushing the glass into the man's hand.

Cap did a double-take, choking on the water before swallowing and staring at the butler with wide eyes. "Wait, you-"

Alfred's mouth turned up slightly. "Your father told me. They explained what happened...what they saw."

The raven's eyes flicked down, staring at his legs and gripping the glass tightly. Guilt wracked his frame, biting at his heels. They knew. They knew he'd lied to them. They knew he wasn't everything he said he was. There was no way they'd ever trust him again...his mind shifted towards the League. Would Bruce tell everyone? What would they say? He already knew he could kiss his position goodbye; there was no way they'd let him stay after he lied to them for so long.

He sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. His mind, the traitor that it was, whispered something to him that caused him to tear up. _They probably hate you now._

Marvel clenched his eyes shut, vaguely feeling the glass shatter in his palm as his hand curled into a fist. He drew in a deep breath, unaware of the room around him, before it finally hitched and the tears collecting in his eyes finally slid down his cheeks. He brought a hand to rub at his face, nails digging into his scalp as that one traitorous thought echoed through his head.

They probably hate you. 

How could they not? 

You _lied_.

You _betrayed_ them.

You're not worth their respect.

You're not worth their _time_.

Captain Marvel vaguely felt something grab hold of him, but he was too lost in his own mind to realize what. His body was frozen, icy eyes wide and staring at nothing. He didn't deserve to be there, he wasn't worth their time, he should just leave before they--

_"BILLY!"_

Someone shouted his name. He felt whatever was holding him's grip get tighter, more warmth wrapping around his sides and squeezing him. He blinked, tears sliding off his cheeks as he stared at nothing, darkness invading the edges of his vision.

"Please, don't do this to yourself..." he heard someone say, though he couldn't place just where the voice came from. The demigod let out a shaky breath, shutting his eyes tightly and pushing the thoughts from his head, forcing them back into the darkness. He opened his eyes, glancing down to find Dick and Jason wrapping themselves around his sides in a crushing hug. Tim hand a tight hand on his leg, while Damien was holding on tightly his wrist and digging the glass out from his palm with a tight jaw.

Bruce stood beside Alfred, watching him with open fear and worry on his face, the butler's hand wrapped around his arm. "Wha...?" he slurred, glancing down at Dick, who had buried himself under his armpit and was holding on tight, jaw set and eyes screwed shut. He looked at Jason, who was breathing shakily and staring up at him with teary eyes. "I- I don' understand..."

"We don't hate you, Billy," Jason said, his voice low and trembling. "We could _never_ hate you..." he said with set jaw before Dick looked up at him, fat, ugly tears leaving salty tracks down his cheeks. He shook his head, unable to form words before reaching up to hug him around his neck.

He must've been muttering that aloud.

He jostled slightly, bringing his free arm to wrap it around Dick and pat his back. He glanced down at Damien, who was still picking shards from his palm. The 11-year-old glanced up at him, his eyes softer than Billy had ever seen, before continuing his work. "H-here," Cap said, his irises flaring gold. The shards vanished from his palm, skin stitching itself back together neatly. Robin narrowed his eyes at the palm, turning it over in his hand before turning his gaze towards Cap's face.

"For what it's worth, I definitely called it."

Cap blinked- that...was not what he'd been expecting him to say. He breathed a chuckle before the chuckle became a laugh, and then he was laughing hard enough to jostle Dick, and now he was back to crying.

Damien rolled his eyes and pat his hand. "There....there...?"

He sniffled, bringing the hand Damien was patting up to his face to rub away the tears. "Sorry, sorry... I just..." he shook his head. "Brain's betrayin' me, you know how it is..." he muttered, glancing down at Dick. "Hey, uh, Dick? Mind letting me go?" he asked, only to get a sniffle from the man as he slid off his side. He glanced at Jason, who was staring at the floor.

The younger of his eldest brothers pulled himself off as well, remaining at his side. Captain Marvel glanced towards Bruce- and let out a sigh. "B-Batman," he started, the words feeling dirty on his tongue. He wasn't sure if he felt he'd earned the right to call the man Bruce now, and Mr. Wayne felt like a betrayal of trust almost.

Ironic.

"I..." he trailed off, age dropping to stare down at his lap. "I'm sorry. I lied to you. I- I know I shouldn't have, but I just-" he felt a sudden solid form hugging him tightly, one larger than Jason or Dick. He glanced to his side to find that Bruce had pulled him into a bear-hug. He swallowed thickly, glancing at the others before slowly wrapping his own arms around the man. Cap forced back more tears, a watery smile growing on his face.

"I'm sorry..." Bruce muttered against his uniform, causing the demigod to do a double-take.

"W-wait, wait, what?" 

Bruce pulled away, his face full of guilt and anger. "I made you feel like you couldn't share this with me. Batman or no, I- I wanted to be someone you could trust with _anything_, Captai- Billy," he swallowed, meeting Cap's eyes. "I wanted you to trust me as a father. I wanted to be that for you. I'm sorry that I failed in that."

Marvel's eyes widened. _Father?_ He- he wanted to be his father? The universe was wicked in how fast she'd made Billy fall in love with this family- he wholeheartedly thought of the boys as his brothers, of Alfred as family- but Bruce? He never would have guessed the man saw him that way. Never would have thought he was worthy.

He remembered vaguely calling the man 'dad' before passing out, and let out a breathy chuckle. "No- no you didn't fail, Bruce..." he mumbled, rubbing a palm against his eye. "This one's on me. I've never been good at the whole 'trust' thing. Never had someone, nevertheless multiple people that were willing to give me a chance, so I... I gave up on it altogether." he glanced around the room at the people watching him.

"The League was... something brand new for me. I had people watching my back, sure, but... I still didn't feel like it was safe to trust anyone completely."

He smiled softly to himself, rubbing at the wetness in his eyes again. "But then you guys came along..." He looked at Alfred. "You changed everything." 

"And I-" his breathing hitched, his hands trembling. Why was this so _hard?_

"And I wanna try. I wanna- I wanna be a part of a family again."

Bruce smiled. He genuinely smiled. Had he not seen it with his own eyes, Cap never would have believed it. "You're always welcome here, Billy. You _are_ family."

The ebony-haired man felt warmth bloom in his chest. He smiled, his grin lighting up the room like sunlight. A thought suddenly popped into his head, looking around with a furrowed brow. "Wait, where's John?" he asked, glancing around.

Bruce raised a brow and looked at Tim. "We managed to knock some sense into him. He said something about needing a pint and a smoke before he vanished through some portal. He did say he'd be back, hopefully with a way to take down that Goddess now that she was actually here," Tim said with a smirk. 

Cap grinned, shaking his head at the thought. "Of course he would," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. Tim raised a brow before rolling his eyes.

"Why don't you power down and let Alfred check you for injuries?" he asked, leaning against the wall.

Bruce glanced back toward Tim in thought before looking back at Cap. He met the demigod's gaze before letting out a sigh and turning to face his middle child. "You knew."

Jason's eyes widened, jaw set as his head snapped towards the younger raven. He launched himself at Tim, sending the pair tumbling to the ground as they grappled with one another. Damien rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest as Jason ranted and yelled at Tim. "THAT'S THE DAMN SECRET?! WHAT THE FUCK!?" he yelled, shaking Tim as he gripped his collar tightly. Cap was quick to move, grabbing both of them by their shirts and pulling them apart.

He held them in the air, glancing between the two. "Yeah, let's not do that," he said before setting them down. He felt a twinge of pain erupt in his core, causing him to stabilize himself on the bed. "That was probably a bad idea to move so quickly," he muttered before letting out a shaky breath. Bruce helped him back onto the bed, though the man refused to lay back down.

"Tim's right, though. You should...uh...power...down," Dick said, hand on the big guy's arm. "We really need to check you for injuries. I assume that you can't get hurt like this, but what about when you're little?"

Cap glanced off guiltily. "Yeah, that's... a different story..." he said slowly. "You're not gonna like what you see."

"Try us," Bruce said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Oh yeah. The whole trust thing. It still felt weird, but he should at least try, right? He let out a breath before glancing up at the ceiling. "You guys might wanna take a couple of steps back," he said, sliding off the bed and rolling it to the side. 

The others stepped back a few feet from him, and he guessed that would be far enough for the space they were in.

_"Shazam!"_

Magical lightning traveled through the rocks of the Batcave, arching through the air before connecting with the demigod in the center of the room. He was enveloped in light, causing those around him to shield their eyes, before the light faded and smoke billowed out from his much smaller form.

Billy coughed, waving the smoke away from his face.

"Good God, what are those?"

The 10-year old blinked, glancing down at himself- he'd forgotten about the runes covering his mortal form. "Oh right..." he swallowed thickly, glancing at the dark symbols covering his upper body before looking around at the slightly worried faces around him.

"I can explain."

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment. Now. Or Darkseid claims the Earth as his own.


	37. Chapter 37

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hmm...maybe there's something in the House of Mystery that could help?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so while writing this, for some reason I got the idea for a whole new fic where Cap gets sent to the Marvel universe and havoc ensues. I know there are a couple of these...like 2,3, maybe 4 or something, but same with the whole "Billy gets adopted by Bruce Wayne" trope, I wanna try it for myself (and flex my marvel knowledge cause yall- I know so much more about Marvel than I do DC. I mean- it's in my name, for Zeus's sake.)
> 
> But yes- expect that after this fic gets finished.

\- - -

**"I can explain."**

\- - -

It took longer than he'd expected to explain everything the Wizard had told him about Circe, but by the time he'd finished, Billy was fairly certain they got the gist of it. He'd been put back on the medical bed while he talked, Alfred looking over the marks and checking him for any kind of injuries.

"The Wizard said that I had to remove these runes if I wanted to cut Circe's magical ties with the land and send her back into exile," Billy explained, thumbing the edge of the shirt Alfred had fetched him.

"So we just have to find a way to do that, and we're home free," Dick said with a grin.

"Well..." Billy trailed off, getting a roll of the eyes and a groan from Damien.

"Magic...it's always something."

Billy couldn't help the touch of color that bloomed on his cheeks as he reached up to rub the back of his neck. "I uh- I can actually get them off already. I'm magic's protector, so I- my magic is really strong. The Wizard said I had the power to take these runes off..." he bit his lip.

Trust. He needed to trust them.

"...but?" Jason asked, raising a brow.

"...but it would tear my soul to shreds if I didn't have it anchored to the world of the living."

Bruce let out a sigh, bringing a hand up to his face to rub it tiredly. "Okay. So what do we have to do?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "How do we tie your soul to this world?"

Billy blinked- he hadn't actually expected them to offer any help, but he probably should have. "I- uh... I don't know. Maybe an artifact could do it? Something with a strong enough magical signature to it that I could, I- I dunno, tie a theoretical string to,' he explained, glancing down at his legs in thought. "John might have a spell that could enchant something... with his signature as a part of it, I might be able to pass by the-"

The 10-year-old realized he was muttering to himself and stopped, glancing up and around the group. "Sorry. I uh- I think that John could really help us with this. He's way better at figuring out magical solutions than I am."

"Well, sounds like I got perfect timin' then," a voice said, causing the boy to light up and whip his head towards its source.

John was standing in a portal, thick spellbook under one arm with the other in a sling. He stepped through the portal and glanced around at the collected Waynes before looking at the kid. "There's a whole slew of magical artifacts in the House that could be used to tie your soul to this plane."

A small smile graced Billy's face. "Now come on," the blonde turned his attention towards the rest of them. "We could use all the help we could get."

The 10-yeara-old lit up light a Christmas tree, sliding off the bed excitedly. "Come on, the House of Mystery has got to have _something_ useful," he said, grabbing hold of Jason's hand as it was closest to him, and tugging him towards the portal.

"Whoa, hold on, who in the what now?" Jason asked, glancing back at his father as the group began to make their way towards the glowing entrance.

"The House of Mystery. A temporal pocket that exists outside of time. A cursed house that's constantly moving," Bruce supplied, following Billy as he tugged Jason through the portal after John.

The group came out on the other side, dropping into an ornate living room with bookshelves on every wall. Billy and John were fine, immediately jumping into theories and magic talk, while the others were left with spinning heads and queasy stomachs. Billy glanced back at Bruce and his brothers before a guilty look appeared on his face.

"Oh right, sorry. I should have warned you about that," he said, coming back over to help Dick stay standing. "Coming into the House for the first time can be rough- especially through a portal," he said, glancing towards Bruce. "Everyone okay?"

A round of nods made the boy smile before he glanced towards John. "Okay, so where do you want us to start?"

"Me an' Chas have got the study covered; There's a couple of things in there that might work, depending on if the curses on them can be broken or not," John said, fishing in his pocket. "Why do you and the assorted...Batclan... go check out Alpha and Delta, and we'll group up to go through Omega together," John said before finally finding a cigarette and pulling it out.

"Okay- good luck," Billy said with a grin, to which John rolled his eyes with a. grin and lit his cigarette.

"Ditto, kid."

\- - -

The raven took Dick's hand this time, leading the group down a hallway. "Delta should be just up here," Billy said, glancing around at the various doors.

None of them were labeled- at least not in the traditional sense, and there wasn't a doorknob to be found anywhere. One door they passed had what looked like an upside-down ice cream cone carved into the wood, while another had a triskelion carved into it. Billy passed various different doors, brows furrowed in concentration.

He finally found the one he was looking for, a wooden door with a triangle on it, and smiled before placing a hand to the wood. An outline of his hand began to glow in the wood before spiraling outward in intricate patterns, the wood folding in on itself and allowing them to enter the room. "Okay, Delta holds mainly low-level magical weapons; staffs, swords, hammers, that kind of stuff. Be careful not to touch anything glowing, cause it's probably cursed," Billy said, glancing at Damien, only to get a scoff in return.

"You guys are wearing gloves, so you should be fine to touch anything else," Billy said, looking around the room. "We're looking for something that looks old, obviously, and is probably made out of wood or something else natural. Those kinda things tend to have the best capability to merge with living matter," Billy explained casually, picking up an ornate wooden staff with intricate carvings winding their way up it.

"Wait a minute," Bruce said, eyes narrowed on the staff. "That staff. That's from Kenneth's shop," he said, raising a brow at the boy. Billy gave him a sheepish smile.

"Uh...yeah... it _is_ magical like he said, its just really weak," Billy said, setting the staff back in the barrel he'd gotten it from. "Still better to get it out of his hands before someone could misuse it."

Damien picked up a long, curved sword with pearls embedded into the blade. He swiped it through the air slowly before looking towards the back of Billy's head- only to get a glare from Tim. The elder slowly shook his head at Damien and the 11-year-old rolled his eyes before putting the sword back.

"Should we really be spending our time looking for something like this? I mean, do we all need to be here? Someone should be chasing down Morgaine and Circe, right?" Jason said after a moment, glancing around with a Warhammer in his hands.

"Oh, don't worry, since the House of Mystery creates its own time field, the time we spend in here could be hours when only minutes have passed," Billy said casually, flipping through an old book with a furrowed brow. "That's not supposed to be in here..." he muttered to himself.

"Trust me, I've spent...a lot of time here," he said with a grin before shoving the book under his armpit and scratching at the back of his neck.

"I'm not getting anything from any of these objects though. I don't think anything in here's gonna be strong enough to hold a human soul," Billy said, walking back towards the entrance. "But that's fine! We still have both Alpha and Omega to check, right? Plus John and Chas are looking too..." he said, more to himself than anyone else, his voice strained.

He tried not to think about what might happen if they couldn't find something to anchor him to. 

Billy led the group out of the room, the door sealing behind them as he started down the hall again. He slid the old book into a bookshelf on his way, smiling as it slid perfectly into place before continuing to lead the Waynes down a maze of hallways.

They came to a wooden door with an A carved into the wood, and Billy repeated the process he had with the first door- it opened the same, curling outwards and allowing the group to enter. "Alpha has scrolls in it, there might be some old spell or- or some kind of written incantation that we could put on an object..." Billy said offhandedly, chewing on the bottom of his lip. 

He was starting to lose hope in this entire thing- the more he thought about it, the less his mind could come up with reasonable things to tie a soul to. It took a lot of power to keep one in the land of the living without a body AND for the soul to keep its sanity. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't nervous- he was terrified, in fact. He didn't want to be shredded, but with the way things were going...

He didn't realize he was trembling until Jason put a steadying hand on his shoulder. The elder reven kneeled down so he was eye-level with the boy, looking him in the eyes. "You okay?" he asked softly as the others continued to look.

Billy swallowed thickly before nodding much too quickly. Jason sighed, dropping his hand. He thought for a moment, eyes dropping to the floor before going back up towards the 10-year-old. "You know, I think it's funny that you tried to tell me," he said after a moment.

The smaller of the two gave him a confused look before breaking out into a smile. "Yeah, it kinda was. I was so frustrated, I just wanted you to believe me."

"Yeah," Jason rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry about that, kid."

"Oh, it's okay. I know it's a crazy thing for me to say."

"Still. You tried to tell me. You trusted me with your secret...and I wrote you off. I'm sorry."

Billy gave him a soft smile, hugging his neck tightly. "It's ok, Jason- but we should help the others."

"Right," Jason smirked.

Billy grinned as Jason stood, turning to look through the shelf full of scrolls next to him, when he was suddenly being swept up and into the air. "There he is! What's goin' on, Tot?" a masculine voice asked, causing the boy to laugh. He glanced down to find Chas holding him aloft before setting him on his shoulders. The man glanced around with a smile, before his gaze settled on Bruce.

"Chas Chandler, nice to meet ya, Mister Bat," he said, making Billy snort and rest his chin on the man's shaved head.

"Uhh... sure. You are?" Batman asked, raising a brow at Chas.

"Oh, I'm John's mate. Been helpin' these two jokers for a while now," he said, holding onto Billy's ankles and jostling the boy. Billy couldn't help the giggle that came out of him as he tried not to fall off the back of the man.

"Did you guys find anything?" Billy asked, leaning over to look at Chas's eyes. He was vaguely aware of the others watching him, but was completely unaware of the slight jealous glare coming from Jason.

"Nah, but John's checkin' one last thing. He told me to come find you lot and see if you had any luck," Chas replied, glancing around the room. "Judgin' by the scowls, I'm gonna guess that's a no."

Billy rested his chin back on Chas's head. "Nope... We just started looking in here, but I don't think it's gonna be any different. Our best bet is Alpha, as much as I hate it," Billy said, moving so that his cheek rested against the man's head.

"What's so wrong with this Alpha place?" Dick asked, hand on his hip as his tilted his head in question.

"The Alpha room's where these two keep the most dangerous stuff. Gemstones, genie lamps, temporal cubes, that stuff," Chas explained, and Billy nodded in agreement.

"It's a _lot_ of cursed objects. Not to mention potentially world-ending stuff and the genies that are just, so full of themselves..." Billy said with a roll of his eyes. "But it's our best bet. Alpha has the stuff with the strongest magic inside."

"Well, you're right about that, Sparkplug," John said, leaning against the doorframe and glancing around the room. "Yeah, I can tell you now that Omega's gonna be a dud. Let's just skip to Alpha, hm?" John asked, glancing around. 

Chas lifted Billy off his shoulders and set him on the floor, and Billy nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

The group started to move, only for both Batman's comm to go off. He pulled it out and answered, raising the volume of the device. "Batman here. What is it?"

"Batman? We- we could really use some help. Morgaine's been spotted with another sorcerer-" Superman said through the line, wind breaking up his words slightly. "They're wreaking havoc in Metropolis."

"Shit," John breathed, glancing at Billy.

"Can you contain the damage? Have they hurt anyone?" Bruce asked, brow furrowed in concentration through his cowl. 

"There's a lot of damage, Batman. Not as many casualties, but that's probably gonna change. Nothing we do seems to work on her."

"Get over there. Go help, all of you. Me and John will keep looking, but you gotta slow her down somehow. Circe can only be stopped by cutting off her supply of magic, but you can distract her so that she doesn't hurt any more people," Billy said, switching into work mode immediately.

"Tell Zatanna she needs to focus on distraction and getting Morgaine away from Circe. They'll be easier to deal with alone rather than together," he continued, glancing up at John for confirmation. The blonde nodded once, and Billy glanced around him.

Jason;s fist clenched. "But you guys-"

"We'll be fine. We know this place, we know that artifacts the House of Mystery has, and what'll be useful," John said, placing a hand on Billy's shoulder before opening a portal in the middle of the room to Metropolis. "Go. They need your help, Bats."

The Dark Knight met John's eyes before glancing down at the youngest in the room. "Find that artifact," he said, looking at John. It wasn't a request or a hopeful encouragement.

It was an order.

Bruce let out a breath before squaring his shoulders and looking around at the group. "Alright- let's get to work then."

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just,,,,,,really enjoy writing for Chas. He's this big goofy British dad, and I love that just goes along with whatever the plan is. Chas is great. Love him.


	38. Chapter 38

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John and Billy continue to look for an artifact to tie Billy's soul to the living realm.
> 
> The theme song for this chapter: "Breathe You In" by Trophy Eyes. Really good if you listen to it while reading.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't sure if I was gonna get this out today cause I was hit by a nasty depressive episode last night, but this actually helped to serve as a good distraction for me, so there's that.
> 
> Also, I decided to not use google translate, and just put everything in English-- but know that all Cap's spells are spoken in Greek.
> 
> Sorry in advance.

\- - -

**Bruce let out a breath before squaring his shoulders and looking around at the group. "Alright- let's get to work then."**

\- - -

John closed the portal once the bat clan was through, letting out a shaky sigh once the light vanished. "She's already causing damage," he muttered.

Billy nodded slowly. "Yeah..."

"Let's get to Alpha," the blonde said, his voice tense as he turned on his heel and walked out of the room. Chas glanced down at the 10-year-old before looking at the place John had been standing previously.

"Best we follow him," he said softly before doing just that.

The trio made their way down the carpeted hallway, a sudden tense quiet looming over them. Without Bruce and the others there, Billy could tell the mask of levity and confidence John had been wearing had come off. They came to a large door at the end of the hallway with the Omega symbol craved into it, and John glanced down at the kid. 

The pair moved to put their hands on the door in sync, glow stretching outward from them and causing the wood to curl in on itself and allow them access. John turned on his heel, holding hand out to stop Chas before could cross the entryway. "Best you stay out here, mate. This magic's no joke."

Chas sighed, nodding once before the door unfurled and closed behind the pair. The room was dark, lit only by ever-present candlelight. Billy glanced around at the various artifacts and gemstones that littered the room, his chest heavy. "John..." he said suddenly, glancing back at the Brit, who was looking between through a shelf full of relics with a scowl on his face.

The man glanced back at him, and Billy felt a shaky breath leave his body. "I think we both know the House doesn't have anything that'll help us."

"No, no we've gotta have something in here. We- we just have to find it," John said, his frame tense as a wire. 

"John..."

"Aren't you supposed to be the optimistic one out of the two of us?" John asked, turning his attention back towards the bookshelf he'd been looking through.

"I know a lost cause when I see one, John," Billy replied, taking to leaning against the side of another bookshelf. "Maybe... maybe this is just what needs to be done." John stayed quiet, his. fist clenching when it went to reach for an object. "I mean..." Billy breathed a laugh, rubbing at the back of his neck before hugging himself loosely.

"I... I had a good run. Got a whole decade under my belt."

The boy hugged himself a little tighter. "Maybe this is just what the universe has in store for me."

John turned towards him, his jaw set. "Bullshite," he growled, eyes narrowing on the boy. "The universe doesn't dictate what you can and can't do, Billy." he came closer, kneeling down in front of the child. His eyes were soft as he met the 10-year-old's gaze. "I'm not lettin' you go without a fight, you got that?"

Billy was pretty sure that was the second time John had ever called him by his name.

"John, there's nothing that we have that can hold a human soul. The only artifacts that exist that can do that are- are things like the helmet of Fate."

The blonde stood, a smirk appearing on his face. "There is another way."

Billy furrowed his brow in confusion. What could he _possibly_ be talking about? He knew that there weren't many artifacts capable of holding a human soul- the things were powerful, too powerful to be contained by any run of the mill gemstone. Sure, artifacts made of living material made holding a soul easier, but that generally meant a demon soul or a monster's soul. 

"I don't...understand."

"Use me."

"What...?"

"Tie your soul to _me_, kid."

"What?!" Billy's eyes widened in fear, taking a step back from the blonde. "No! John, you- you of all people should know that the human body can't handle two souls- it- it would break you. You'd be driven insane..."

The brit kept his gaze locked on the boy. "I don' care. Kid, I'm not givin' up on you. You got too much good still left to do."

"No, john. I- I refuse."

The raven let out a shaky breath before moving to the door. He opened it and walked out, shoving past Chas and taking off down the hall. John watched him leave, concern etched into his features as he came out.

"What...just happened...?" Chas asked, glancing at John before looking in the direction Billy had gone. "What'd you say to him?"

"Tried to convince him to use me as an anchor."

"Won't that...kill you?"

"Yeah. Driven mad by another soul inhabiting the body, it tears the mortal coil apart."

"And you...you offered that up as a solution? John, you know how much that kid cares about you."

"Well, we got bigger problems than me. I'd rather me go down than Billy- it- it's merciful."

"And you'd leave him with that guilt? Leave him thinking, _knowing_ he's the reason you're dead. That's not mercy, Johnny. That's puttin' a massive weight on Billy's shoulders- one he'll have to carry for the rest of his life."

"It's-"

"Don't," Chas said, glaring at the blonde. "Don't you dare say it's for his own good. You of _all_ people should know how guilt can change a person. You'd set him down a path like that, so similar to your own?" 

John tore his eyes away from the end of the hall to stare at Chas. He swallowed thickly, eyes shining in the dim light. "I can't let him die, Chas."

The brunet put a hand on John's shoulder. "Then let's figure out a way to save him."

\- - -

Billy felt tears run down his cheeks, leaving salty trails on his heated skin. How could John suggest that- he'd never be able to do that, not to John- not to anybody. It was a cruel fate, one that the raven could never go through with. 

He wiped his nose on his wrist, hugging his legs and staring at the ornate carpet from under a side table that was currently supporting centuries-worth of literature. This whole thing had been a bust.

A part of his had known that it would be, going into it, but another part of him...the part that tried to see the good in everybody, the part that pushed him to do good both in and out of costume, the part that echoed his parents' words to him every day-- that part had thought that there was a _chance_. 

That part of him...had _hoped_.

He wasn't ready to die, not yet- there was so much that he wanted to do, so much that he wanted to see and learn. He didn't want to give up the hero thing, he didn't want to give up the family he'd just gotten. Billy wanted more than anything to _live_, and yet...

The universe was a cruel and unforgiving mistress.

The boy let out a shaky breath. He knew what needed to be done. Though he was terrified, he knew that he couldn't back down from this. 

There were bigger things than him at play.

The boy clambered out from under the side table, wiping his eyes on his palm and sniffling softly. He held out his arms, closing his eyes and trying to force a portal open. He thought of Metropolis, of the buildings and streets, the Daily Planet, of Superman and Batman, fighting to try and stop Circe and Morgaine.

He couldn't let them do this alone, he couldn't let Circe have this power over them. People were dying, and Billy couldn't just stand by. He was a hero- he needed to step in, even if it meant putting his life on the line.

He could do this.

Billy thought of his dad, of Bruce, barking out orders to Dick and Jason, of Damien cutting down summoned ghouls, of Tim knocking out monstrous lackeys. Billy felt a tingle in his fingertips, a golden glow terminating from his skin.

His dad- his brothers- they needed him.

A golden-rimmed gateway opened in the middle of the room, leading to an alley in Metropolis. Billy blinked open an eye, and lit up at the sight. He smiled, clenching his fists tightly and leaping through the portal.

\- - -

Billy landed on the ground amongst dumpsters and garbage bins, something he was all too familiar with, and closed the portal behind him. He stood, coming to a corner and looking out of the alley. He searched for some sign of trouble, some semblance of a battle going on. 

There was smoke in the distance, but that didn't necessarily mean it was a hotspot. Billy caught sight of a clearing, a square, likely used for farmers' markets and festivals, now being used as a battlefield. 

The boy tensed, making a mad dash across the street and into another alleyway. He ran around the side of the building and peered out into the square. Heroes were everywhere- Superman was battling what looked like an Ogre, while Green Lantern fought back a swarm of ghouls. Flash and Wonder Woman were taking on Morgaine, and plenty of other heroes were there to fill in the gaps and take on the monstrosities surrounding them.

And yet, Billy could tell they were losing. They could barely keep the entities back, and were hardly keeping up. If they kept at this for much longer, this wouldn't end well. The raven caught sight of a black cape, and looked towards it. He found Bruce and Dick back to back, fighting back the undead. Tim and Damien were busy with monstrous plant life, and Jason was struggling with what looked like devilish imps.

He had to do this now, before the tide turned, before someone went down and couldn't get back up.

Billy swallowed thickly, his small frame shaking in the shade. It was a nice day, the kind of day that you'd spend at the park or at a picnic- it wasn't a day where the League should be battling a mad god. He glanced back towards the battle, fear sinking its teeth into him. He had to do this, he knew that, really he did-- but he didn't want to.

A cry of pain rang out in his ears, making the boy's eyes snap open wide. His head flicked towards the clearing, spotting Jason holding his stomach and stumbling backward. The man's gun fell from his hand and clattered onto the street, and Billy saw blood drip from his form.

Billy was running in an instant, feet moving on their own as he launched himself into the fray. He tore across the clearing, dodging ghouls and gremlins and heroes. He narrowly dodged a rogue swing from Diana's sword before finally stumbling and coming to a stop in front of Jason. 

The man had fallen back onto the pavement, gunshot in his stomach turning his uniform dark and slick. "No..." Billy breathed, his eyes wide. He turned slowly towards where the bullet must have come from- Circe had deflected it...right back at him. The elder man was pressing his hand firmly into the wound, wheezing and staring at Billy with wide eyes.

_"NOOO!!" _Billy's scream echoed throughout the clearing, his face contorting into one of anger and desperation. "SHAZAM!" he yelled in a rage, lightning arcing from the heavens towards him and enveloping his small form. 

The light faded, smoke billowing out from his much larger form as he glared daggers at the goddess.

"Wait... Captain...?" he heard one voice say, followed by another asking if it was really him. Someone asked if they'd seen what had happened right. Billy ignored them all. He took a step away from Jason and clenched his fists, glaring Circe down.

"Playtime's over, Circe," he growled, and the goddess raised a brow with a smirk.

"You're gone pay fro what you did to him."

Captain Marvel unhooked his cape, letting it fall to the ground in a heap before taking another step forward. The world around him grew quiet as he took another step. **_"Remove these bonds of magic, tied to my mortal skin." _**his words were old, ancient greek spilling from his mouth and echoed by thunder in the sky. Clouds had begun to coalesce above them, blocking out the sun as wind began to blow.

** _"To send this witch back into exile, I offer my soul." _ **

Marvel could feel magic swelling inside his chest, his fingertips buzzing with energy as lightning began to crackle around his form. He took another step forward, jaw set as he started into the Witch's eyes. His slicked hair whipped around in the wind, his eyes thunderous with rage. **_"You are not of this world. Begone and return that which you have stolen from the Rock of Eternity."_**

Circe narrowed her eyes at him, throwing out a hand and launching a torrent of dark green magic at him. Marvel braced himself, a golden shield surrounding his form and deflecting her blast. _**"As Champion of Magic, I banish you. With my entire being, I cast you out. Never will you return here," **_he growled, glaring the woman down.

She'd hurt his brother. Shot him with his own bullet.

Billy was a forgiving person. He saw the good in people, truly believed there was some in every human.

But Circe was no human.

There was a tugging at his core. The spell was working- he could feel his internal light shifting. Marvel swallowed thickly, remaining where he was, feet spread. If he was going down, he'd do it with his head held high. He'd go out saving people.

His eyes began to glow a golden light, lighting jumping around his body and arching at his hands. The power of Eternity ran through _him_, it was not something _she_ was allowed to control. His head felt light, but he ignored it.

_**"I seal your fate for eternity, Circe..." **_he said, ignoring the darkness beginning to inch closer in the corners of his vision. He had to hang on for just a little longer. He needed to make sure that she couldn't undo this spell. There was only one way to do that, one way to seal a spell like this.

_ **"Shazam."** _

He felt one final tug, pulling the last chord loose from his core. Marvel gasped, a hand going to his chest as light gleamed from his eyes before flickering out. He met Circe's gaze, and the woman glanced to her own, glowing hands. Golden, glowing runes appeared along the Captain's body, running along his arms and shining through his uniform.

He kept his gaze locked with her as the runes glowed brighter and Circe's form began to flicker like a bad projection.

"You'll shatter yourself killing me, Champion!" she screeched, eyes wide and angry.

"I know..." Cap breathed, swallowing the bile rising in his throat. "There's no way I'd rather go out."

The demigod fell to his knees, wincing in pain as the darkness in the corners of his eyes came closer. He was breathing harshly, but he refused to give in just yet. He glanced down at the cracked pavement, sweat dripping off his forehead as he felt that familiar warmth, one he'd become so accustomed to feeling, one he intrinsically knew was his magic, leave him.

The Captain winced, his arms giving out and sending him crashing into the pavement. Breathing was getting harder, the weight on his chest and tugging at his core making him feel like he was being torn apart. He guessed he was, in a way.

His vision growing blurrier by the second, he smiled weakly at the sight of the goddess flickering in and out before finally vanishing with an echoed cry. 

Cap felt a sudden warmth on his shoulder, but wasn't sure what it was. He was cold... He was tired... He just wanted to sleep.

There was a swirling cacophony of voices around him, echoed and distant, and he felt his form melt, from that of a demigod to that of a child. He'd run out of time....run out of magic. There was a bitter taste in his mouth as he was suddenly lifted, the soft blue sky entering his fading field of view.

Then, everything went black.

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anything yall wanna say? Feel free to tell me.


	39. Chapter 39

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...not tellin you what happens in this one.
> 
> Theme Song(s) for this chapter: "Hold On" by Chord Overstreet and "Change" by XXXTentacion. Listen to them. That's an order from your author. >:3
> 
> Also, yes, I released 2 chapters in one day. You're welcommmeeeeee~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't give me that look. Read, you nerds.

\- - -

**Then...everything went black.**

\- - -

Billy opened his eyes.

He blinked, looking around groggily. He was surrounded by darkness, floating in an endless void, suspended like in water. His head felt fuzzy and light, his movements slow. It felt like he'd just woken up from a very long nap- he rubbed at an eye.

Wait.

This- this didn't make any sense. He wasn't- he wasn't supposed to be _anywhere_ anymore.

What was this place?

It was cold. He saw his breath curl from his mouth, spiraling outward before dissipating. Was this... was this what nonexistence felt like? It didn't make sense. He was aware, he was still breathing, he could feel the cold nipping at him.

Billy felt a familiar warmth press against his back, skin touching his as the hem of his shirt was tightly grabbed. The boy furrowed his brow and moved to look back, only to find Jason folding on tightly to him with one arm, the other still on his stomach. Billy's eyes widened in confusion- how- how was Jason here? What was going on? His brother was almost glowing, a soft light terminating from his figure as he held onto Billy's shirt.

"I'm not lettin' you go that easily, Billy," Jason breathed, his voice echoing through the void.

Billy stared at the man, eyes wide. He couldn't be real. His gaze flicked to the open wind on his stomach, still drenching his uniform in blood. It made his stomach turn.

The 10-year-old felt another hand touch his shoulder. He glanced to his side, finding a softly glowing Damien gripping him tightly and glaring at him. "You're not allowed to leave just yet, Batson. I said I wasn't through with you, and I _meant_ it," he growled, glaring daggers into him.

Billy felt tears prick in the corners of his eyes, his breath hitching at the sight of them. He must have been losing it, there was no way he was- this- this couldn't be real. This had to be some last-ditch attempt by his head to put him at peace...right?

This _couldn't_ be real.

Another warm hand on his shoulder. He glanced at it, finding Dick holding onto him. He shook his head with a watery smile. "Not yet, Bluebird." his voice cracked, unshed tears shining in his eyes. His mask was held tightly in one hand, the other gripping Billy's shoulder tightly.

Something moved out of the corner of his eye, and he found Tim grabbing onto his much smaller hand, sliding his palm into Billy's. "We still need you here, kid."

The boy's breath hitched again. He shut his eyes tightly, tears rolling down his cheeks before he felt himself suddenly enveloped in a hug from the back, the solid form behind him overwhelming all others. He glanced up to find Bruce gripping him tightly, his cowl down and face crumpled. The man was silent, but he didn't need to speak. Billy had worked with him for long enough to know what he could say _without_ words.

Billy looked ahead, Bruce slowly letting him go as the boy brought up a hand to rub at his eye. John appeared in front of him, floating in the void with a look of relief on his face. The Brit's eyes softened at the sight of the boy. "Told you I'm not givin' up on you, kid," he said, his voice echoed and distant. Billy swallowed, uncaring of the tears streaming down his face. 

"I... I don't understand..." Billy said, his own voice soft and broken, echoing through the darkness as he rubbed at his eyes with his palms, tear tracks spanning his skin. "What- what's happening?"

"You were right, Sparkplug. The human body can't handle two souls."

Billy shook his head slowly, brow furrowed in confusion as he looked at the blonde. John grinned softly. "But it _can_ handle one...and a fraction of another one," he said with a smirk.

The boy glanced around him at Bruce and the others- this didn't make sense, even if it was _possible_ to split a soul, it took a _lot_ of magic, the cost would be someone's _life_-

Chas.

Chas wasn't there.

Billy met John's eyes. "Chas..." he breathed, voice soft and broken up by a hiccup. The Hellblazer shrugged, a knowing look on his face.

"_He's_ the one that suggested it."

The raven shook his head with a soft smile. Leave it to that man to be a self-sacrificing idiot. The man was lucky he'd come back- if he didn't Billy would go down to Hades and drag the Brit back up himself.

"So...what now?" Billy asked, glancing around at the people that surrounded him, trying to rein in his emotions. "What do we do, John?"

"Not _we_, kid. This one's all on you."

"I don't understand..."

"You gotta wake up. You're the Champion of Magic, remember? No one can cast a spell like yours."

Billy's chest felt warm. He grinned, face lighting up with a wide smile, despite the tears brimming in his eyes. "When you're right, you're right," he said shakily, shutting his eyes and drawing in a deep breath. 

John had done it- they all had. Despite everything... his family had come through for him. They'd found a way to _save_ him.

He just had to trust them.

**"Shazam."**

\- - -

Billy's eyes snapped open with a gasp, his lungs filled with a flaring pain as he stared up at the sun. The boy was trembling, taking deep, shaky breaths as he blinked up at the cloudless sky. He felt a familiar warmth coil up in his core, helping him to steady himself. Billy tried to sit up, only to have pain flare in his chest and cause him to wince.

"Oh my God, he'd still alive."

A figure was suddenly standing over him, helping him to sit up slowly. Billy was trembling against whoever was helping him, tremors wracking his small frame as he breathed heavily. He looked around slowly, finding the battlefield empty of ghouls and beasts. The corner of his mouth turned up in relief.

Billy turned his head to glance at whoever was helping him up, finding that it was Superman of all people, steady hand against his small back, and a worried look in his eyes. "Are you okay...?" he asked slowly, moving his hand away from billy when he deemed it safe for him to sit up on his own without falling back down and slamming his head against the pavement. The Kryptonian kept his worried gaze on the boy, looking him over before backing away. 

The 10-year-old's throat felt dry, but he tried to speak nonetheless. "'m just...d-dizzy..." he breathed, glancing around. He spotted Jason sitting a few feet away from him, eyes wide as he stared at his stomach. Blood still coated his uniform and clung to his hands, but Billy could see his skin through the bullet hole in his clothes. It was unmarred and clean as if it had never been pierced in the first place.

He smiled weakly at the man. His magic must have fixed the would while it was still inside Jason and his heart warmed at the thought. Jason glanced up from his stomach, looking around in a sudden worried frenzy before his eyes locked onto Billy's.

The man scrambled up and away from the couple of heroes that had been trying to help him, worn boots scrambling across the broken pavement and collapsing in front of the kid on his knees. He picked Billy up but his armpits, drawing him into his lap and holding him close to his chest in crushing hug. Billy felt a hand grip the back of his head and Jason breathed shakily against him, his heart thudding loudly in his chest.

"Oh, God. It worked. It fuckin' _worked_..." he breathed, holding Billy close to him. The boy laid his cheek against Jason's shoulder before more weight was added to the hug. He glanced back to find Dick wrapping his arms around the pair, followed by Tim, and finally Damien, who kept a scowl on his face while he hugged the rest of them.

"Can't...breathe..." Billy squeaked, cause the huddle of boys to chuckle and loosen up. Billy stayed in Jason's lap, bringing a hand up to rub at his eye before looking around. The other heroes had left them alone, standing a good distance away, but keeping an eye on the group with mild concern. Billy couldn't help the bubble of laugher that came to the surface, tears beading in his eyes as he smiled.

He caught sight of Batman pushing through the crowd of heroes, his pace picking up at the sight of Billy. The boy stood, leaving Jason's lap to meet the man. Despite the looks from the group, Bruce swept him up into his arms, hugging him tightly before pulling back. "Warn us next time you try something like that," he said sternly, only for his gaze to soften. 

"I will," Billy said with a wide grin.

Bruce turned towards the rest of the League with Billy still in his arms, and Billy could see the cogs in his head turning. "It was only a matter of time, right?" Billy asked, leaning his head over to make eye contact with the Dark Knight. "It's okay...I'm okay with them knowing. I trust them with this. They'll... they'll do what they have to."

The billionaire sighed, his mouth turning up slightly. "Then I trust you."

"Let's go home. You need rest...in fact, I think we all do," Bruce said, glancing towards the rest of his boys.

\- - -

That evening consisted of Alfred smothering the poor boy, checking him over multiple times and ensuring he was okay before he finally let him go to bed. He slept soundly, for the most part, exhaustion pulling him into a deep sleep.

He did, however, wake up once during the night, moonlight streaming in through his window as he opened his eyes. The room was quiet and still, Billy thought as he yawned, rubbing sleepily at an eye before glancing around. The plastic stars stuck to his ceiling glowed softly in the low light, and smiled softly up at them.

He reached for the glass of water usually beside his bed and found Bruce asleep in the armchair in the corner, his arms crossed over his chest and head leaned back against the wall.

The man hadn't been there when he'd gone to bed, so Billy wondered when he must have come in. He smiled softly at the sight of the Dark Knight sleeping so peacefully, taking a sip of his water before putting it back on the dresser. 

He clambered down and out of bed, grabbing a spare blanket from the chest at the foot of the bed and taking it over to Bruce. Billy unfolded it and set it over top of the billionaire with a grin before turning and climbing back into bed. The ebony-haired boy snuggled up under the thick Batman blankets and faced his window, staring up at the moon. He felt his eyelids droop, fighting back a yawn.

Billy hadn't realized how used to this place he'd gotten, but unlike last time he thought about it, the fear and anxiety he felt by being there was gone. He trusted the Waynes with every part of him, good, bad, or otherwise. 

Fawcett would always be his city, but maybe Wayne manor could become his home.

_"You did good, Billy,"_ the boy heard a voice echoing through the room, too distant to be the man behind him and much too old. _"I knew you'd figure it out."_

"I didn't though," the boy breathed, staring up at the moon. "I was ready to give up, to just give in to what fate had in store for me..." he trailed off, sitting up in bed. "But they wouldn't let me go," he glanced at Bruce, who was still asleep, before sliding off the bed and going to the window.

He heaved it open quietly before leaning against the ledge. A gentle wind blew through his hair, and he smiled against it. "They're the reason I'm still here at all."

_"Seems the Wayne family is more important than either of us first thought,"_ the voice, one he knew must belong to the Wizard, said.

Billy smiled. "More important than I ever coulda imagined," he said, pillowing his chin on his arms. "I really gotta thank Alfred..."

_"For what, Billy?"_ the Wizard's voice questioned.

"For bringing me here in the first place."

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yall have no idea how tempted I was to ACTUALLY kill Billy off, literally only because people guessed the ending. My disappointment was immeasurable and my day ruined, but whatever lol
> 
> Take your cheezy chapter and leave me be- I don't care if no one's surprised by this turn of events, I just wanna write the ending already.
> 
> You guys are lucky I'm a sap for this kid and won't kill him off in a major story.
> 
> ...at least not yet.
> 
> Gimme ur damn comments, you nerds owe me at least that. *grumble grumble*


	40. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And finally, we have come to the end of the line. The back of the book. The end of our story. Thank you all for joining me in this journey, and I hope you enjoy this finale.

\- - -

**"For bringing me here in the first place."**

\- - -

The next two weeks were a whirlwind of commotion and events. Billy was enrolled with a tutor, working on his math skills, history, and reading some days, and learning magic from John on others. It was a nice balance, giving him some much-needed stability in his schedule (as well as some much-needed schooling).

He'd finally, _finally_ formally introduced himself to the Justice League- shook Superman's hand with a determined smile and Batman as his side. Sure, they were worried art first, but a quick reminder of the things he'd done on previous missions and some well-placed comments on his powerset from the Dark Knight later, and the kid no longer felt like his position was in danger. Even better, he felt closer to the League than he ever had.

He didn't have to hide that part of himself from them- he could show his genuine enthusiasm at something he thought was cool and they'd go with it. He could stand in front of the Watchtower windows and stare into the endless expanse of space for hours, and Barry would tousle his hair, bringing him out of his trance before taking off, pulling the demigod into a game of tag around the satellite. 

Billy had also grown closer with the rest of the Batclan- if that was even possible.

He stayed up many a late night with Damien, the pair laying on the floor of one of their bedrooms, talking about everything and nothing, or they'd play one of Damien's videogames (or, more realistically, Damien would play, and billy would watch with starry eyes).

He'd join Tim in the library, and they'd read quietly together for hours, unaware of the passage of time as they let their books take them away to far off lands.

Dick was teaching him hand-to-hand combat, something he insisted Billy learn for whenever he couldn't "power up" as he called it. It had become a bi-weekly thing, the elder man dragging billy down to the gym and wrapping his hands excitedly every time.

He and Alfred had taken to baking together, as Billy was the only one allowed to make anything in the kitchen with the man, and Billy enjoyed every second of it- especially when he got to taste test Alfred's food.

And Jason- he'd join the boy on the roof, staring up at the stars with him and teaching Billy about the constellations. They'd talk about their days, about who'd they'd fought, about missions they'd gone on, all sitting under the stars that shone over Gotham.

He even got closer to Bruce; the man had asked him to join him on multiple patrols, though, he had had to change his outfit in order to do so. John had helped him with that, teaching him a simple cloaking spell to turn his uniform and cape black. Bruce had been surprised the first time he saw it, and took it in stride with a warm smirk towards him before climbing into the Batmobile.

He'd gotten the chance to join the family and experience his first charity ball, something he was woefully underprepared for, but ended up being more fun than he'd thought it'd be when he'd teamed up with Damien and Tim to prank some stuffy politician the pair told him liked to fund supervillain's exploits. 

His brothers joined him on his rounds in Fawcett sometimes, helping him take down muggers and the occasional giant robot, and he'd even managed to convince Bruce to help him out once or twice two- though he commented that Fawcett was much too sunny for his tastes.

And...so maybe, just maybe, Dick found his punches landing a little harder, maybe Damien found his blade sending a slight buzz through whoever he cut down. Maybe Tim found that static clung to his weapon as he fought, and maybe Jason's bullets took on a sort of...electrical quality. So what if Batman found himself stunning enemies when he threw a punch or sent his foot flying?

There _were_ consequences to holding the Champion of Magic's soul inside you.

All in all, things were great. More than anything he'd ever imagined it would be.

He'd thought it couldn't get any better. 

Well, that is, until Bruce proposed something big.

\- - -

Cap landed on the roof of the Manor, his golden boots touching down on the tiles quietly. He rubbed the back of his neck, stiff muscles aching against his palm. He'd spent the entire day fighting Sivanna, trying to get him to stop and shut down the weather machine he'd managed to build since he last fought the crazy man. 

After he'd taken the scientist down, which had taken quite a while with the man's insistent use of a robot army, Cap had had to taken down every satellite connected to the weather machine around Fawcett. It took him way longer than he would have liked, but he got it done eventually.

The entire day had been long and stressful, and he _still_ had homework to do- a part of him was tempted to go inside, get it done as Cap, and then switch and go to bed, but he could already feel Alfred's disappointed gaze on him at even the thought of that. The demigod sighed, plopping down on the edge of the roof towards the back of the manor and staring out at the coast that practically served as the Waynes' backyard. 

Moonlight shimmered over the coastal waters and a gentle breeze blew through the man's hair, helping to calm his nerves. He closed his eyes to the feeling, swinging his legs gently back and forth and leaning back on his arms.

"Long day, I take it?"

The ebony-haired man's eyes snapped open, head turning back to glance up at Bruce. The man was dressed in casual wear- or, at least, it was casual for him. He'd probably just gotten done working out and was alerted by the security system that Cap was up here if he had to guess. The wife-beater and tennis shoes really gave that one away.

Bruce came closer, taking a seat beside the man and looking out at the dark coast. "Clark told me your report from the last mission helped him find something he would've otherwise missed," he said casually, keeping his gaze on the waters down below.

"That's good," Cap replied, glancing at the billionaire. "Is that the reason you're up here?"

Bruce shook his head. "No. Usually, you come right in after you get back from Fawcett City. You broke a pattern, which usually indicates something's wrong in the average person," he said, leaning back on his arms. "So I came to see if you were alright."

Cap rubbed the back of his neck, nodding slowly. "Yeah, I'm alright. Just tired I guess. Sivanna had me running around the entire city cause he built this crazy weather machine," he explained, a smile appearing on his face as he shook his head. "The thing is," he explained, getting more animated as he spoke, "The thing didn't even work, at least, not like I think he meant it to."

"It didn't change the weather," Cap said, suddenly chuckling. "No, this thing shot water vapor and lightning at me. Once Sivanna turned it on, it was haywire, shooting lightning and spraying water everywhere-" he was laughing by this point. "And- And poor Sivanna, he- he had this look on his face that was so-" Cap's shoulders bounced as he laughed. "He looked so pitiful, like a hairless cat getting its monthly bath."

Bruce raised a brow at him, an easy smile on his face as he shook his head. "Well that's- different, for sure," he said, looking slightly up at the demigod.

"Ooohhhh yeah. After I destroyed the thing I had to go all around the city and destroy the little receptor things cause I had no idea if they would still go off, but I didn't wanna risk it, you know?" Cap asked, glancing back out towards the beachfront. "So I spent _hours_ doing that and destroying the little things. Might have accidentally broken a few satellite dishes by mistake too, but I don't think there was too many."

"And then, well, I came home," he said, glancing up at the moon.

Bruce's grin grew warmer at that.

"Listen, I've actually been needing to talk to you," he said, gaining the demigod's full attention. "Why don't you power down?"

"Oh- sure thing," Cap said, standing up and backing a few feet away from the billionaire.

A rumble of thunder echoed through the sky as Billy transformed, Bruce bringing his arm up to block his eyes from the immense light Billy's magical lightning bolt brought. His gaze softened at the sight of the 10-ten-old in the middle of a cloud of smoke, the boy waving it away before coming back to the edge of the roof and plopping back down.

"So what'd you wanna talk about?" Billy asked, tilting his head slightly in question as he kicked his legs back and forth. 

Bruce brought his hand up to scratch at the hairline on his neck. "Do you like living here, Billy?" he asked slowly, looking down at the boy. Billy furrowed his brow, a confused smile appearing on his face.

"Of course I do-" he paused, a spark of worry igniting in his eyes. "Wait- are- do you- do you want me to leave?" he asked before swallowing nervously and chewing on his bottom lip.

"No, no. Nothing like that, Billy."

Bruce sighed, dropping his hand before glancing back out at the ocean. "It's just...I've been thinking."

"What about?"

"About you, about the boys," Bruce said, pulling the kid towards him with a grin so that they were hip to hip. "About how you fit into this family."

Billy looked out at the coast before his gaze trailed up to meet Bruce's. The man sighed, dropping his head and shaking it slowly. "This shouldn't be this difficult..." he muttered before taking a deep breath and letting it out. "Okay, listen, Billy," he said, turning his body so he could fully face the boy.

"I- I would never want to take the place of your father. I'm sure he was a good man, and I would never want to tarnish his legacy for you."

Billy furrowed his brow in confusion. What did his birth dad have to to with this?

"But I- I-" he ran a hand through his hair. Why was he so nervous? Billy had never seen Bruce this anxious, was it something he'd said? Something he'd done?

"I'd like to adopt you. If you'll let me."

Billy's world crept to a halt. He stared up at the billionaire, blinking slowly as the words registered in his head. He... Bruce...wanted to... he... The 10-year-old swallowed, his head suddenly light. His gaze dropped to the roof tiles, thinking about the man's offer. 

He felt tears come to the corners of his eyes, his breath hitching when he looked back up at Bruce with a wide, watery smile.

"I'd- I'd like that. A lot," he said with a sniffle before hugging the man's midsection tightly. He couldn't see Bruce's smile, but he felt it in the warm hand that came down over his back, rubbing gentle circles in his dark red sweater.

"Then I'll get the paperwork ready."

\- - -

Billy fumbled with his tie, face scrunched up in concentration as he tried to tie the confusing thing. He only ended up knotting it for the third time, groaning in frustration and tugging the thing off him and throwing it down on the floor with a huff.

"Having some trouble there?" Jason asked from behind him, coming up behind the boy and picking up his tie off the carpet. "Yikes, you tryin' to make a noose, kid?" he asked with a chuckle before sitting on the edge of Billy's bed and untying the strip of cloth.

"Not my fault I've never worn a tie before," Billy said with a pout, tugging at his collar as he looked at himself in the mirror. His adoption ceremony- something Bruce had insisted wasn't necessary but Alfred had forced them to do, was today, and apparently it was the talk of Gotham. He supposed it was also his official introduction to the people of Gotham, even if most of them already knew about him through tabloids and magazines.

Jason chuckled, shaking his head at the boy as he finally got the tie undone. "Come're," he said, the boy obediently trudging over to him. "Look, I didn't know how to tie a tie when I first got here either, but things change. You never know what you might need to use as a weapon," Jason said as the wrapped the cloth around Billy's neck.

The boy chuckled, shaking his head at the man.

"How're we doing in here?" Bruce's voice came from the doorway, the man stepping through the entryway as he buttoned his cufflinks. "Ah tie troubles, huh?" he asked with a smirk. Billy nodded slowly as Jason finished tying the tie, tucking it into Billy's dark grey vest. 

"I'm nervous, am I supposed to feel this nervous?" Billy asked, glancing between the two.

Jason ruffled his hair with a smirk before standing up. "It's okay to be nervous, squirt. I was at my ceremony, and it was half the size of yours." 

"Come on, we should go downstairs. Alfred's going to want a picture of everyone together before we go to the venue," Bruce said, giving Billy a wink before leading the two out of the room. Billy grabbed his dark grey suit jacket on the way out, shrugging it on quickly as he followed behind.

\- - -

Billy felt tense as he stood beside Bruce, staring out at a sea of reporters and businessmen. There were so many cameras trained on him, so many eyes watching him- he'd never seen this kind of attention before. The boy swallowed thickly, shifting on his feet in an attempt to quell some of his nervous energy as he kept the wide smile on his face.

Bruce was currently giving a speech about adoption and family, but Billy had quickly gotten distracted with how many people were there, and the whole situation had derailed from there. Billy's gaze moved towards the other boys- Jason, Dick, Tim and Damien stood lined up beside and slightly behind him, hands in their pockets or folded behind their backs.

Alfred stood on his other side and placed a warm, reassuring hand on his shoulder as Bruce spoke. He must have seen Billy's nervous bittering. Despite the anxiety he felt, Billy couldn't have been happier- his smile wasn't fake in the slightest. 

He was excited, genuinely excited to officially becoming a Wayne. Or, well, a Batson-Wayne. He didn't bother himself with the technicalities; he was part of the family now, and that was all that mattered to him. Alfred squeezed his shoulder, and he glanced towards the man.

The butler gave him a look, raising an eyebrow with a soft smile. 

Billy let out a small breath, some of his nervousness melting away. He could do this- this was nothing. He'd taken on alien armadas, fought dictators and reality-warping imps, Hell, he's taken down a rogue Goddess- this? This was a piece of cake compared to all of that.

The 10-year-old felt his chest puff up in pride. He could do this, he knew he could- and, even if he couldn't, he knew he'd have his family there alongside him. Billy knew they'd go to the ends of the Earth for him- that he had a family he could trust completely, with any secret or problem he may have.

“This feels....right, Alfred," he breathed softy, turning his smile towards the elder man. "It- It feels…good...to be wanted.”

The elder man grinned down at him. “A natural progression of events, one might say?" Alfred asked, giving the boy a knowing look. "It was only a matter of time...master Wayne.”

Billy grinned even wider. “Yeah, I guess you _could_ say that,” He glanced down at his shoes before looking back up at Alfred. "I never thanked you for picking me up off that street. You really changed my life, Alfred."

Alfred looked forward with a warm smile. "Think nothing of it."

Billy followed his lead, looking outward into the crowd.

"I'd like to introduce you all to my son; William Joseph Batson-Wayne."

The raven drew in a breath and stepped forward. "It's nice to finally meet you all, but please..."

"Call me Billy."

\- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One last comment for old time's sake? I can still threaten Billy with bodily harm, if you guys want. 
> 
> And hey, thanks for reading. Really, thank you. It means a lot to me.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed this thing as much as I did writing it.


End file.
